GCC and EU vow to strengthen strategic partnership

Agencies | Brussels

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com

Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and European Union (EU) foreign ministers discussed Gulf-European relations in various economic, political, and security fields and the means to enhance cooperation and develop mutual interests.

Foreign Affairs Minister Dr Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani participated in the joint meeting held yesterday in Brussels, Belgium.

The GCC side was chaired by His Highness Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and Chairman of the current session of the Ministerial Council of the GCC.

The High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell chaired the European side.

The Secretary-General of the GCC, Dr Nayef Falah Al Hajraf also participated in the meeting.

They also addressed the political and security developments in the region and the efforts being made to maintain its security and stability, and to reach political solutions to the ongoing conflicts, in addition to several regional and international issues of common interest.

The meeting issued a joint statement in which the two sides underlined the remarkable progress in the strategic partnership between the GCC and the EU.

The statement stressed the importance of continuing to strengthen relations between the two sides in light of regional challenges, to be a strong and effective basis for regional and international security and stability.

It underscored that the ministers agreed on the importance of strengthening relations between the GCC and the EU in various fields, including political dialogue, regional security, counter-terrorism, trade, investment, energy, climate change, education, health, cyber security, and strengthening cooperation in international forums.

The two sides endorsed the Joint Cooperation Programme for the period 2022-2027 and stressed that this partnership contributes to deepening mutual trust, achieving common interests, and maintaining regional and global security.

The Ministers stressed the importance of promoting joint action in combating climate change, protecting the environment, and developing renewable energies.

They commended the commitments expressed by the GCC countries in this regard and seconded its participation in the UN Climate Change Conference COP26.

The statement underscored that the Ministers exchanged views on issues of common interest, including the Middle East Peace Process, Yemen, Iran, Libya, Syria, Lebanon, Iraq, and Afghanistan.

They stressed the strategic importance of close coordination between the GCC and the EU in this regard.

The statement underlined that the Ministers stressed the urgent need to improve the humanitarian situation in Yemen, agree on a cease