The 161st Ministerial Council meeting of the Gulf Cooperation Council took place on Monday in the Saudi capital, chaired by Qatari Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani. The meeting was attended by GCC foreign ministers.

Alongside the GCC Council meeting, separate ministerial-level discussions were held between the GCC and India, the Russian Federation, and the Republic of Brazil.The seventh GCC-Russia strategic dialogue meeting was held with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, while the GCC-India meeting involved External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar. The GCC also held talks with Brazilian Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira.

According to GCC Secretary General Jasem Albudaiwi, the Council meeting focused on implementing decisions from the 44th GCC Summit held in Doha last December, as well as addressing current regional and international developments.

“These meetings aim to strengthen strategic relations with countries and organizations worldwide,” Albudaiwi said. “Topics that concern all sides and yield benefits for their peoples will be discussed at these meetings.”

Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani expressed disappointment that Qatar’s efforts, along with its partners, have not led to the desired outcomes in Gaza. He called on regional and international partners to exert pressure for a ceasefire and a sustainable political solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

The GCC Ministerial Council meeting and the series of bilateral engagements highlight the Gulf region’s efforts to deepen its strategic partnerships and address pressing regional and global issues.

Vinod Kumar (UAE)