Dr. Abdul Latif bin Rashid Al Zayani, Minister of Foreign Affairs, participated in the meeting of the twenty -ninth session of the Gulf -European Ministerial Council, which was held today in the sisterly State of Kuwait, headed by Abdullah Ali Al Yahya, Minister of Foreign Affairs in the State of Kuwait, President of the current session of the Ministerial Council, and Kaya Kayas, the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Vice -President of the European Commission, and in the presence of the foreign ministers of the Gulf Cooperation Council countries, the European Union, and the participation of the European Union Jassim Mohammed Al -Badawi, Secretary -General of the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf.
The ministers discussed aspects of European Gulf cooperation at the political, economic, security, cultural and development levels, and the chances of strengthening historical friendship and strategic partnership that links the countries of the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf and the European Union in various fields to serve the interests of both sides.
A number of topics on the agenda were discussed, among them the outcomes of the European Gulf Summit held last year in Brussels, and the results of the second forum on security and regional cooperation between the Cooperation Council and the European Union held in the State of Kuwait on October 5, 2025.
The two sides discussed the horizons of strengthening joint cooperation in the economic, investment, commercial, energy, climate change, communication, humanitarian aid, security field and enhancing communication between peoples.
The two sides reviewed the implementation of the joint work program for the European Cooperation Council and the European Union (2022-2027), which defines the areas of cooperation in various sectors, including political dialogue, trade and investment, energy, climate change, education, research and innovation, health, development, human cooperation, and communication between peoples.
The ministers also discussed the developments of the current regional situation, its repercussions on regional and European security and stability, including the war in Gaza, international efforts to support the two -state solution, war in Ukraine, regional disputes, developments of the Iranian nuclear file, navigation security in the Red Sea, international developments, ways to intensify joint cooperation and coordination to reduce tension and escalation, and confront various challenges that threaten Regional and international security and security.
At the end of the meeting, a joint statement was issued in which the two sides welcomed the tangible progress that was achieved within the framework of the strategic partnership between the Cooperation Council and the European Union, which was established by the cooperation agreement signed between the two sides in 1988, and stressed the special importance of this partnership in light of the serious threats facing peace, security and stability at the regional and international levels, and the challenges facing the global economy.
The two sides also praised the results of the first summit of the European Cooperation Council and the European Union, which was held in Brussels on October 16, 2024 under the title “A Strategic Partnership for Peace and Prosperity”, and expressed aspiration to hold the next summit in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in 2026.
The statement also dealt with common positions towards regional and international developments, developments in the region and the efforts made to bring security, peace and stability, and end disputes by peaceful means.
The delegation of the Kingdom of Bahrain participating in the meeting included Ambassador Salah Ali Al -Maliki, Ambassador of the Kingdom of Bahrain to the State of Kuwait, Ambassador Sheikh Abdullah bin Ali Al Khalifa, Director General of Bilateral Relations at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Nawar Abdullah Al -Mutawa, Acting Head of the Cooperation Council Affairs Sector, and the accompanying delegation to the minister.
