Brussels: The Sultanate of Oman is slated to participate in the inaugural joint summit between the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states and the European Union (GCC-EU Summit), scheduled for Wednesday, in Brussels, Belgium.
The delegation from Oman to the GCC-EU Summit will be chaired by HH Sayyid Asa’ad bin Tarik Al Said, the Deputy Prime Minister for International Relations and Cooperation Affairs and Personal Representative of His Majesty the Sultan.
The summit is anticipated to focus on strategies to enhance cooperation between the two entities in addressing significant global challenges and the necessity to fortify economic ties.
Discussions will encompass cooperation in various sectors including trade, investment, energy, sustainability, and climate. Additionally, the summit will explore avenues to deepen relations between peoples, facilitate visa processes, and address geopolitical challenges, particularly those related to the Middle East region and the conflict in Ukraine.
GCC Secretary General Jasem Mohamed Al Budaiwi has stated that the GCC-EU Summit marks the culmination of a strategic and historical partnership that has spanned over three decades. He further emphasized that the two entities share common perspectives on regional and global issues and topics.
Ru’aa Issa Al Zadjali, the Sultanate of Oman's Ambassador to the Kingdom of Belgium and Head of Mission to the European Union, views the summit as a significant milestone in the journey towards a strategic partnership. She highlighted that the summit reflects the commitment of both sides to elevate bilateral relations in the face of escalating regional and international challenges.
Luigi Di Maio, the EU Special Representative for the Gulf region, expressed his appreciation and gratitude towards the Sultanate of Oman for its previous hosting of the GCC-EU Ministerial Council meetings in 2023. He noted that the summit marks a historic occasion, being the first time that the leaders of the Arab Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states convene with the leaders of the European Union countries on a single platform.
The economic, trade, and investment relations between the GCC and the EU are experiencing steady growth. The volume of commercial exchanges reached approximately $204.3 billion in 2022, accounting for 13.2% of the total volume of goods entering the Gulf region, as reported by the GCC Statistical Centre.