Statement by NSC Spokesperson Emily Horne on the Middle East and North Africa Coordinator McGurk’s Travel to Saudi Arabia and the UAE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 17, 2022

Statement by NSC Spokesperson Emily Horne on the Middle East and North Africa Coordinator McGurk’s Travel to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates

Coordinator for the Middle East and North Africa Brett McGurk traveled this week to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates to ensure the United States is doing everything possible to support the territorial defense of both countries against Iranian-enabled missiles and UAV attacks.

Mr. McGurk reaffirmed the President’s commitment to supporting the defense of U.S. partners, reviewed ongoing efforts with our diplomatic and military teams in both capitals, and discussed the need to combine pressure on the Houthis in Yemen with a concerted UN-led effort to end the war there.

In Saudi Arabia, State Department Special Envoy for Energy Affairs Amos Hochstein joined Mr. McGurk to discuss a collaborative approach to managing potential market pressures stemming from a possible Russian invasion of Ukraine.