Riyadh moves to 'bankroll' Jordan in bid to contain anti-austerity protests

Saudi Arabia says it will host a meeting among several Gulf Arab countries to offer support to Jordan after it faced mass protests over the kingdom’s economic problems and its plans to tax its citizens.

The Saudi Royal Court said the meeting scheduled for Sunday in Mecca would include Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates.

A statement early Saturday on the state-run Saudi Press Agency said the meeting would “discuss means of supporting Jordan to overcome its current crisis.”

That likely means cash from the oil-rich nations to Jordan, which has experienced an economic downturn.

Rising unemployment has hurt Jordan’s economy, as has taking in a large number of refugees from war-wracked Syria and Iraq.

Jordan’s King Abdullah II has replaced the country’s prime minister over the protests.