Global Political Calendar: Key special summits and meetings to watch

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Europe

European Council President Donald Tusk hosts a special summit of EU leaders, leaders of Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) meet in Nur-Sultan, Saudi Arabia hosts emergency summits of Arab and Gulf countries, Shangri-la Dialogue opens in Singapore.

Foreign leaders' visit to China

According to the Chinese foreign ministry, Nigerien President Mahamadou Issoufou will pay a state visit to China from May 26 to 30 at the invitation of his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping.

Issoufou, 67, was first elected president of Niger in March 2011, and won a second term in March 2016. He also attended the Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) in September 2018.

The Prime Minister of the Republic of Vanuatu Charlot Salwai will pay an official visit to China May 26-31 at the invitation of Chinese Premier Li Keqiang, said the Chinese foreign ministry.

Salwai was elected the 11th prime minister of Vanuatu in February 2016.

Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Prak Sokhonn will also pay an official visit to China from May 30 to June 1 at the invitation of Wang Yi, Chinese state councilor and foreign minister.

EU special summit

Tusk called a special EU summit on May 28 to "start the process to nominate the next leaders of the EU institutions" two days after the end of the European Parliament elections.

The meeting, similar to the one held after the previous vote in 2014, would give leaders a chance to discuss their preferences for who will succeed Jean-Claude Juncker as president of the European Commission.

Parliament, which will convene on July 2, is pushing the European Council of national leaders to nominate Juncker's successor from among the lead candidates of winning parties.

EU Leaders are due formally to nominate a commission chief at a Brussels summit on June 20-21. The nominee would then require endorsement by the European Parliament.

Emergency summits of Arab and Gulf countries

The Saudi Press Agency (SPA) said King Salman had invited Gulf leaders and Arab states to two emergency summits in Mecca on May 30 to discuss recent "aggressions and their consequences" in the region.

The invitation came after four commercial vessels including two Saudi oil tankers were damaged in mysterious "sabotage attacks" off the coast of the UAE. Saudi Arabia also accused Iran of ordering the drone attacks on Saudi pipeline facilities launched by Yemen's Houthi rebels.

Tensions have soared in the Gulf, with the United States deploying an aircraft carrier and bombers there over alleged threats from Iran.

Saudi Foreign Affairs Minister Adel al-Jubeir said his country does not want to go to war with Iran, but was ready to defend its interests.

Shangri-la Dialogue

Military officials, diplomats and experts from across the Asia-Pacific will gather on May 31 in Singapore for the 2019 Asia Security Summit, commonly known as the Shangri-La Dialogue, discussing security challenges and cooperation prospects in the region.

Since its launch in 2002 by the British think tank International Institute for Strategic Studies(IISS) and the Singaporean government, the annually-held Dialogue has built confidence and fostered practical security cooperation, by facilitating easy communication and fruitful contact among the region's most important defense and security policymakers.

Each year's agenda is intentionally wide-ranging, reflecting the many defense and security challenges facing a large and diverse region.

The IISS in a statement announced General, Chinese State Councilor and Minister of National Defense Wei Fenghe will lead a delegation and deliver a speech on June 2 on "China's role in the Indo-Pacific at a pivotal time for the region."

Singapore's Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong will deliver a keynote speech on May 31.

Acting U.S. Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan is expected to deliver a major speech on assessing the key security challenges facing the Indo-Pacific and elaborate the U.S. administration's strategy for the region on June 1, according to IISS.

Day-by-day

Monday: Nigerien President Mahamadou Issoufou pays a state visit to China (May 26-30), Vanuatu's Prime Minister Charlot Salwai pays an official visit to China (May 26-31), Czech Foreign Minister Tomas Petricek visits Slovenia, Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi visits Saudi Arabia, Colombian President Ivan Duque pays an official state visit to Peru and meets with Peruvian President Martin Vizcarra in Lima, ASEAN Senior Officials Meeting takes place in Bangkok (until May 31), Dutch Second Chamber election and Malagasy National Assembly election open.

Tuesday: Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov starts a two-day visit to Slovenia (until May 29), European Council President Donald Tusk meets with leaders of the EU member states.

Wednesday: International Day of UN Peacekeepers, Russian President Vladimir Putin, Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, Kyrgyz President Sooronbay Jeenbekov, Armenian President Armen Sarkissian and Tajik President Emomali Rahmon meet in Nur-Sultan.

Thursday: Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Prak Sokhonn pays an official visit to China (until June 1), U.S. Vice President Mike Pence travels to Ottawa to meet with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau over speeding up the ratification of the new trade agreement between the United States, Canada and Mexico, Emergency summits of Arab League, Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad talks at an international conference on the Future of Asia in Japan.

Friday: The Shangri-La Dialogue opens in Singapore, Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte addresses an international conference on the Future of Asia in Japan, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo visits Berlin.

Saturday: The Shangri-la Dialogue continues.

Sunday: The Shangri-la Dialogue concludes.

(With inputs from agencies)