WASHINGTON – A bipartisan group of US senators announced a trip to the Abraham Accords countries. Democratic Sen. Jacky Rosen of Nevada and Republican Sen. James Lankford of Oklahoma, who co-founded and serve as co-chairs of the Senate Abraham Accords Caucus, announced that they are leading a group of five senators in the bipartisan delegation to Israel, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Bahrain and Morocco.
“In visiting these countries, the senators will see firsthand how the Abraham Accords have led to unprecedented regional integration and cooperation, and they will discuss ways in which these Accords can be strengthened and expanded to bring in other countries,” they said in a statement.
Sens. Rosen and Lankford will be joined by the bipartisan group: Kirsten Gillibrand from New York, Michael Bennet from Colorado, Dan Sullivan from Arkansas, Mark Kelly from Arizona and Ted Budd from North Carolina.
On their first stop, the group arrived in Morocco. “We held a productive meeting with Prime Minister Akhannouch to discuss Morocco’s leadership on the Abraham Accords and the importance of the US-Morocco relationship,” Rosen tweeted Saturday.
First stop: MoroccoWe held a productive meeting with Prime Minister Akhannouch to discuss Morocco's leadership on the Abraham Accords and the importance of the US-Morocco relationship. pic.twitter.com/ooxPZyKVZt
— Senator Jacky Rosen (@SenJackyRosen) January 14, 2023
Lankford said in a statement that “As we continue to work for peace, my colleagues and I will continue to work with our allies in the Middle East.
“This time will be invaluable for members of the Senate Abraham Accords Caucus as we continue to strengthen relationships throughout the region through reconciliation and common goals,” he added. “In the days ahead, we will continue to bring nations together for the future of US national interests and for our allies.”
Rosen went on to say that “the historic Abraham Accords have transformed the Middle East – paving the way for unprecedented cooperation and normalization between Israel and Arab partners.
“The Accords are already contributing to all four countries’ economies and helping them work together to combat Iranian aggression,” she continued. “My colleagues and I look forward to meeting with senior government officials, business leaders and civil society organizations to discuss how we can strengthen the relationships fostered by the Accords and expand them to new countries.”
Last year, Rosen and Lankford were part of a group of four senators, along with Joni Ernst of Iowa and Cory Booker of New Jersey, that launched the Senate Abraham Accords Caucus “to build on the success of the historic Abraham Accords.”