Mehran Haghirian
Amwaj Media
October 28, 2024
The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) on Oct. 16 held its first high-level summit with the European Union in Brussels. In the weeks prior, the six-member bloc engaged in joint ministerial meetings with Brazil, India, and Russia, while also initiating informal dialogue with Iran. These developments come at a time when the GCC, just a few years ago, was seen as teetering on the brink of irrelevance—especially amid the 2017-21 blockade of Qatar by the Arab Quartet (Bahrain, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates) that exposed deep divisions.
Pragmatism rules supreme
The previously exposed intra-GCC fractures—political, economic, and security-related—have not disappeared. Long-standing tensions, such as those between Qatar and Bahrain, continue to simmer. Moreover, an intensifying economic rivalry between Saudi Arabia and the UAE sees both countries competing to position themselves as the region’s preeminent economic powerhouse. Beneath the surface of collective diplomacy lies a web of competing national interests, with each of the six GCC member states pursuing distinct roles on both the regional and global stages.
For instance, Saudi Arabia and the UAE are both engaging with major international organizations such as BRICS, Abu Dhabi having officially joined while Riyadh is still considering its options. The two countries also connect with the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) as dialogue partners, while the UAE has been actively negotiatingbilateral Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreements (CEPAs) with a range of countries. Yet, these divergent paths have not derailed the broader progress of the GCC.
The GCC’s ability to navigate its persistent internal challenges stems from a new pragmatic approach. Member states are free to pursue their individual national interests while still collaborating on key issues that benefit the bloc as a collective. This flexibility has allowed the GCC to remain relevant and make significant strides on the global stage, even if it does not always present a unified front. Decades of gradual institution-building and diplomacy, marked by numerous joint meetings at various levels each year, have laid the groundwork for this shift.
Under the leadership of Secretary-General Jassim Mohammad Al-Budaiwi, the GCC has developed a renewed sense of purpose. Budaiwi, who took office in early 2023, has transformed what was once a largely ceremonial role into a driving force for the bloc’s revitalization. His leadership is most clearly reflected in the GCC Vision for Regional Security, unveiled in March this year, which outlines the bloc’s approach to regional security, the energy transition, economic integration, and environmental cooperation. While internal divisions have often stymied such efforts, the new vision offers a clearer framework for cooperation, reflecting a deeper sense of unity and direction than seen in the past.
Bigger ambitions
The recent inaugural EU-GCC summit, in development since the European bloc’s 2022 Joint Communication on a “Strategic Partnership with the Gulf,” is a testament to the GCC’s growing role on the global stage. The summit’s agenda focused on energy security, renewable energy, and the geopolitical crises in Ukraine and Gaza. The EU, eager to secure its energy future amid its conflict with Russia, views deeper engagement with the Gulf as essential. The gathering was preceded by the EU’s appointment of Luigi Di Maio as its first Special Representative for the Gulf and the opening of offices in Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE.
However, the GCC’s ambitions stretch well beyond Europe and the United States. At its 161st Ministerial Council meeting in September, the Arab bloc solidified its relations with emerging global powers. Seven joint ministerial meetings with Russia resulted in the 2023-28 Joint Action Plan, while dialogue with India produced a 2024-28 Joint Action Plan. The GCC also signed a Memorandum of Understanding for Strategic Dialogue with Brazil.
Simultaneously, the GCC is forging ties across Central and Southeast Asia, having convened a summit with the C5 countries in Jeddah and another summit with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in Riyadh last year. The bloc also held its first joint ministerial meeting with the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) during the United Nations General Assembly in New York this year.
Additionally, after an eight-year hiatus, the GCC has resumed ministerial meetings with Turkey and revived Free Trade Agreement (FTA) negotiations. An FTA with China is expected by the end of this year, following an 11th round of talks. The GCC has further expanded its engagement with countries across Southeast Asia and the Indo-Pacific, including Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, and New Zealand, as well as with regional actors like Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, and Morocco. These actions reflect the bloc’s growing global network, signaling its commitment to broadening its diplomatic reach.
Another particularly notable development is the GCC’s growing engagement with Iran. On Oct. 3, for the first time, informal discussions between GCC and Iranian foreign ministers were held on the sidelines of the Asia Cooperation Dialogue Summit in Doha. This move marks a substantial shift in the bloc’s willingness to engage Tehran collectively.
Iran’s president was previously invited as a guest to the 2007 GCC Summit in Doha, but that engagement was never formalized. The recent engagement, while still in an early stage, suggests a broader strategy of managing regional security through diplomacy rather than confrontation. This is additionally significant in light of rising tensions between Iran and Israel. This nascent engagement with Tehran is also a reflection of the region’s broader shift towards de-escalation and cooperation, which began with the 2021 Al-Ula Summit that ended the intra-GCC rift and further strengthened after the Iranian-Saudi reconciliation in 2023.
Looking ahead
Despite its advances, the challenges the GCC faces are not insignificant. While the GCC’s recent flurry of diplomatic activity demonstrates its growing global reach and relevance, the organization’s institutional coherence still lags behind regional peers. The bloc has made strides in building a more flexible, pragmatic diplomatic strategy, but it still struggles to match the level of institutional depth and cooperation seen in organizations like ASEAN or the EU.
As Omani Foreign Minister Sayyid Badr Albusaidi has noted, “Complex issues in today’s integrated world require careful listening and joint efforts to address challenges. Inclusiveness is the backbone of multilateralism, and without this mindset, we cannot achieve much.” The GCC’s recent actions reflect this inclusive mindset—but inclusiveness alone will not be enough to overcome the deep-rooted divisions that have often undermined efforts at deeper integration.
The future effectiveness of the GCC will hinge on its ability to balance the competing interests of its member states while fostering deeper cooperation on key regional and global issues. Its success will depend on whether the bloc can evolve into a more coherent institution, capable of addressing collective challenges through a strengthened regional framework. If not, the GCC risks being undermined by its internal contradictions as member states prioritize national interests over collective regional goals.
Link to the article: https://amwaj.media/article/renewed-sense-of-purpose-drives-gcc-transformation
Photo credit: European Council
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