Gulf Leaders Gear Up for GCC Riyadh Summit
Gulf Cooperation Council leaders are keen to hold the 41st GCC Summit despite the current exceptional circumstances, said GCC Secretary-General Nayef al-Hajraf on Monday.
This came as Hajraf met with Emir of Kuwait Sheikh Nawaf al-Ahmad al-Jaber al-Sabah at the Seif Palace in Kuwait.
During the meeting, Hajraf delivered Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud’s letter of invitation to the Emir to attend the summit, which will take place in the Saudi capital on January 5, 2021.
Both sides reviewed the GCC’s journey and the achievements, especially in the social and economic fields.
The summit will be held amid exceptional circumstances as the world suffers the repercussions of the coronavirus pandemic on various aspects, Kuwait state news agency KUNA quoted Hajraf as saying.
Hajraf noted that the GCC bloc is now entering its fifth decade and will focus on overturning the impacts of Covid-19 and restoring economic growth in the gulf.
“The GCC will also seek to further integrate and enhance its competitiveness on the global stage,” said Al-Hajraf who hailed Kuwait’s efforts to strengthen the GCC and broaden its horizon.
Hajraf also delivered King Salman’s invitation letter to Bahraini King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa.
The letter was received by Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa during his meeting with the GCC Secretary-General in Manama.
“Bahrain’s presidency of the 41st session coincides with the GCC celebrating almost 50 years since its establishment with a deep-rooted partnership that proved to be a cohesive system capable of overcoming difficulties and challenges, and continues to achieve complementary achievements in accordance with the bloc’s lofty goals,” Hajraf stressed.
The senior official said he was confident in the role Bahrain will play in pushing joint Gulf action forward and realizing the aspirations and hopes of GCC citizens toward more coherence, cooperation and integration.
Kuwait’s Foreign Minister Sheikh Ahmad Nasser al-Sabah said in early December that fruitful discussion had taken place recently “in which all sides expressed their keenness for Gulf and Arab unity and stability, and to reach a final agreement that realizes lasting solidarity.”
Earlier on Sunday, Bahrain’s Foreign Minister Abdullatif bin Rashid Al-Zayani expressed confidence in Saudi Arabia’s role in promoting dialogue in the Gulf, stressing that the Kingdom played an “important role” in beginning a new phase to strengthen Gulf dialogue and bridge the rift in the region.
For his part, UAE Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Anwar Gargash praised, in a statement on Twitter, Riyadh’s “good endeavors” and said the UAE looked forward to a “successful” Gulf Arab summit.
His Qatari Counterpart Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdul Rahman Al Thani had said during a visit to Russia that Qatar is optimistic and ready for any solution that would bring peace to the region.
“We are very positive and always treat any initiative that brings peace in the region positively.”
“We hope that things will fall into the right place, but we cannot predict whether the move is imminent or the conflict will be resolved completely,” the FM added.
