Saudi Arabia: Salman’s absence from summit symbolised generational transition

In the days preceding the US-Gulf Co-operation Council (GCC) summit, attention focused largely on who would – or rather, would not – be attending. Much was made of the fact that Saudi Arabia’s King Salman Bin Abdelaziz would not be going, sending in his place Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Nayef (MBN) and Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman (MBS). The 10 May announcement came as something of a surprise, since, just two days earlier, White House spokesman Eric Schultz had told reporters travelling on Air Force One that US President Barack Obama and King Salman would have a pre-summit meeting on 13 May.