The United States is not going anywhere. They invest in building a positive future for the region. This was stated by US President Joe Biden, speaking at the opening of the summit of the leaders of the Persian Gulf countries, as well as Egypt, Jordan and Iraq..

Freedom of the press and democratic rights can lead to harsh criticism, he says, but the ability to speak openly and exchange ideas freely is what drives innovation..

“Accountable institutions that are free from corruption, operate transparently, and respect the rule of law are the best way to ensure growth, respond to people's needs, and, I believe, provide justice,” Biden said..

The head of the White House traveled to Saudi Arabia hoping to secure an oil deal to help bring down gasoline prices, which have driven US inflation to more than 40-year highs and helped drive down the presidential approval rating..

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While the U.S. leader is leaving the region empty-handed on oil, with no concrete promises from Middle East oil producers, Biden hopes his diplomatic efforts here will push the OPEC+ group to increase oil production when they meet on August 3..

“I look forward to seeing what happens in the coming months,” Biden said..

On his first trip to the Middle East as president, Biden focused on Saturday's summit involving the six Gulf states plus Egypt, Jordan and Iraq.. Prior to this, he also met with Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia Mohammed bin Salman..

The fact that the president had welcomed the crown prince the day before drew criticism in the United States due to the Saudi monarchy's many human rights abuses, most notably the brutal murder of Washington Post journalist and Saudi critic Jamal Khashoggi.. U.S. intelligence agencies have concluded that Crown Prince Mohammed was behind the assassination, but he himself denies this..

Relations between Egypt and the United States were also rocky in the early months of the Biden presidency amid disagreements over human rights, before Egypt's efforts to mediate a ceasefire in Gaza in May 2021 led to renewed engagement..