Office of the Spokesperson
Today, the United States hosted a Middle East Strategic Alliance (MESA) General Conference in Washington, D.C. MESA is a whole-of-government initiative that works to advance regional stability, security, and prosperity through enhanced multilateral cooperation. Senior officials from Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, the United States, and the Gulf Cooperation Council discussed pressing regional events, as well as collaboration on political, security, economic, and energy-related efforts in the Middle East. The conference included discussions on the situation in Syria, air defense in the Arabian Peninsula, and a summary of recent multilateral collaboration, including the development of a MESA Counterterrorism Strategy and the formation of the MESA political framework. With the help of MESA, the United States continues to promote a united Gulf Cooperation Council to counter outside threats and confront regional challenges.