Yellen to visit Saudi Arabia, meet Crown Prince amid human rights scrutiny

U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen is set to visit Saudi Arabia, where she will meet with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. This high-level engagement comes at a time when Saudi Arabia faces continued international pressure regarding its human rights record.

Specifically, the visit occurs in the shadow of the 2018 U.S. Central Intelligence Agency assessment that the Crown Prince had ordered the killing of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi. Khashoggi was assassinated inside the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul. The U.S. has previously imposed sanctions on individuals linked to the murder.

Despite these concerns, the Biden administration has sought to re-engage with Saudi Arabia on issues of regional security and economic cooperation. Yellen's visit is expected to focus on strengthening economic ties and discussing strategies for regional stability, including energy markets.