BRUSSELS, Oct 15: In response to increasing regional and international challenges, the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and the European Union (EU) member states are set to convene their first summit at the level of heads of state and government in Brussels tomorrow, Wednesday. This marks a significant moment, being the first such meeting since the establishment of official relations in 1989, and will see the participation of 33 heads of state and prime ministers. Co-chaired by Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, the Amir of Qatar and current rotating president of the GCC, alongside Charles Michel, President of the European Council, this summit is a pivotal step in enhancing the strategic partnership between the GCC nations and the EU, providing a platform to further solidify their collaboration.

The summit, which will include Kuwait's His Highness the Amir Sheikh Mishal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah's representative, His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Ahmad Abdullah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, leading the Kuwaiti delegation, is seen by the EU as a chance to broaden bilateral relations with "strategic partners" amid challenging geopolitical circumstances. The European Union aims to utilize this summit to address cooperation across various sectors, including economy, trade, investment, energy, and climate issues, and to tackle shared global challenges while promoting mutual engagement between the peoples of the Gulf and the EU.

Additionally, discussions will focus on strengthening security and stability frameworks in the Middle East, examining regional and international developments, particularly the situation in Palestine, as the conflict in the Gaza Strip enters its second year amid ongoing violations by Israeli occupation forces in the West Bank. Kuwaiti Foreign Minister Abdullah Al-Yahya emphasized that this summit is a significant historical milestone for the GCC-EU strategic partnership and showcases the commitment of both sides to enhancing relations in the face of escalating regional and international challenges.

He noted that Kuwait aims to amplify its role as an international partner in fostering sustainable development during the summit, with the representative of His Highness the Amir delivering a speech underscoring the importance of concerted international efforts to bolster security and stability in the region. This address will also highlight Kuwait's vision for expanding cooperation between the GCC and the EU. Furthermore, His Highness will engage in several bilateral meetings with heads of participating delegations to discuss mutual interests.

Although this summit is unprecedented, the relations between the EU and GCC are well-established, grounded in a cooperation agreement signed in 1989, which facilitated regular dialogue on economic relations, climate change, energy, the environment, and scientific research. According to the GCC, this framework agreement mandated the formation of a joint council comprising the foreign ministers from both parties, which convenes annually.

During a joint meeting in Brussels in February 2022, the foreign ministers of the GCC and EU endorsed a joint cooperation program for 2022-2027, which was updated in October 2023. This program outlines collaborative activities across several sectors, including trade and investment, climate change, green and sustainable transition, people-to-people initiatives, and counter-terrorism efforts. In May 2022, the European Commission and the Office of the High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy released a joint statement titled “Strategic Partnership with the Gulf,” which established a practical roadmap for the EU to deepen its relations with GCC countries. That same month, Luigi Di Maio was appointed as the inaugural EU Special Representative for the Gulf region, tasked with fostering a more robust, comprehensive, and strategic partnership between the EU and the Gulf nations.

This summit represents the culmination of decades of continuous cooperation between the GCC and the European Union, with trade between the two sides reaching approximately $204.3 billion. Of this, GCC exports to the EU accounted for about $106.3 billion. European data indicates that in 2023, fuel imports from GCC nations constituted over 75 percent of the EU’s imports, reflecting a threefold increase since 2020 due to a significant shift in supply sources resulting from the Russian war in Ukraine.