WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 03rd June, 2023) US Secretary of State Antony Blinken will announce during his visit to Saudi Arabia next week a new significant financial aid package to support the stabilization efforts in Iraq and Syria, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Arabian Peninsula Affairs Daniel Benaim said on Friday.
"The secretary will announce a significant new US contribution this year, and we've been talking a lot with our partners in hopes of exceeding the number we raised last year," Benaim said during a press briefing.
The secretary of state is expected to make the announcement at a ministerial meeting of the Global Coalition to Defeat the Islamic State terror group (banned in Russia).
Benaim noted that the coalition collected more than $445 million last year to support stabilization needs for Iraq and Syria.
Blinken is also expected to meet with the Saudi leadership to discuss strategic cooperation on a range of global and regional issues, according to the State Department.
