Brussels: Europe and the Arabs
The President of the European Council Charles Michel begins today a visit to the Gulf region ahead of the first-ever EU-GCC summit
According to a European statement issued in Brussels, the President of the European Council Charles Michel will visit the Gulf region from 27 to 29 August. The President will hold consultations on the first-ever EU-GCC summit to be held on 16 October 2024 in Brussels, as well as on a wide range of issues, from the crisis in the Middle East to Russia’s war against Ukraine, and all aspects relevant to bilateral cooperation.
During his visit to Doha, the President will meet with His Highness Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, Emir of Qatar, in his capacity as the current rotating chair of the Gulf Cooperation Council.
In Riyadh, the President will meet with His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. While in Riyadh, the President will also meet with His Excellency Jassim Al-Budaiwi, Secretary General of the Gulf Cooperation Council.
In the future, the President will continue to cooperate with other members of the Gulf Cooperation Council as part of the preparations for the upcoming summit.
Given the significant growth in EU-GCC relations in recent years, the EU-GCC Summit will be an opportunity for EU and GCC leaders to reaffirm their shared commitment to work together in many areas of their cooperation in order to build a partnership based on sustainable prosperity and stability for both sides.