Gulf leaders including Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim met European heads of state and government in Brussels on Wednesday for summit talks the EU hopes could help to defuse an “extremely dangerous escalation” in the Middle East.
The 27-nation EU is seeking to work more closely with the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) – which brings together Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE – in addressing conflicts in both the Middle East and Ukraine.
The UAE delegation was led by Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Finance and First Deputy Ruler of Dubai.
The first gathering of its kind, the EU-GCC summit comes on the eve of an EU leaders’ meeting in the Belgian capital.
Trade, energy and climate change were all on the table, but Israel’s conflicts in Gaza and Lebanon, on which the two groups hold broadly converging views, dominated the agenda.
“We need a settlement for these conflicts,” said Sheikh Tamim, co-host of the event alongside European Council President Charles Michel.
“We hope that this first summit will be the first step to consolidate our historic ties between the GCC and the EU.”
The EU is the second-largest trading partner for GCC countries but talks on a trade pact have languished for years.
Parties issued an agreement on the key issues discussed at the summit, as follows in full:
1. We, the Heads of State and Government of the Member States of the European Union and the Gulf Co-operation Council held our first Summit on 16 October 2024 in Brussels, Belgium, under the theme “Strategic Partnership for Peace and Prosperity” to celebrate the deepening partnership between the two blocs, co-chaired by H.E Charles Michel, President of the European Council and H.H. Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, Emir of the State of Qatar as rotating President of the Gulf Co-operation Council, in the presence of H.E. Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, and, H.E. Jasem Al Budaiwi, Secretary General of the Gulf Co-operation Council, and H.E. Josep Borrell Fontelles, High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy.
2. Recognising the growing political EU-GCC ties and challenges to regional and international peace, security and stability, we commit to our EU-GCC Strategic Partnership and pledge to elevate it to the next level. We agree to build our Strategic Partnership, based on mutual respect and trust, for the benefit of the people of our regions and beyond. Through this special Partnership, we will work together to promote global and regional security and prosperity, including preventing the emergence and escalation of conflicts and resolving crises by enhancing our dialogue, co-ordination and engagement.
3. Our Strategic Partnership aims to be the motor in promoting our common objectives as close partners, anchored in respect for an international rules-based order fully respecting international law, including the United Nations (UN) Charter, international humanitarian law and the promotion and protection of universal human rights. We acknowledge the need to support multilateralism and the importance of sustainable development and prosperity.
4. Our solid political dialogue in several key policy and sectoral priorities confirms our common interests and level of ambition. The extensive preparatory work through our numerous joint dialogues on geopolitical developments and regional security, macroeconomics, connectivity, trade and investment, the business environment, research and innovation, development co-operation and humanitarian co-ordination have significantly reinforced our partnership, mutual understanding, and directly supported the preparation for this Summit.
We welcome the “EU Joint Communication for a Strategic Partnership” adopted in May 2022 and we confirm our strong mutual commitment towards strengthening our Strategic Partnership in line with the Joint Action Programme 2022-2027. We welcome the outcome of the Joint Council and Ministerial Meeting in October 2023 in Muscat, Oman. We will also further enhance our dialogue and co-operation on security, including the countering of emerging threats through the definition and implementation of joint priorities and co-ordinated initiatives.
5. In this spirit, the EU and GCC will engage in fostering multilateral, regional, bilateral frameworks with a view to further strengthening bilateral and regional co-operation.
6. We agree to continue our dialogue on a regular basis by holding a summit every two years and look forward to holding the next Summit in Saudi Arabia in 2026.
7. We agree to hold the 29th Joint Council and Ministerial Meeting in the State of Kuwait in 2025.
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