GCC Summit in Saudi Arabia: Leaders sign final communique, AlUla declaration
SMA NEWS – AlUla
All six delegations from the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) have signed the final communique and the AlUla declaration at the Maraya Hall in Saudi Arabia’s AlUla.
The special summit this year marks a new shift in relations with Qatar, whose Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani arrived on a Qatar Airways plane and was greeted by Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
During his opening speech at the summit, Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman said GCC member states “desperately need to” unify their efforts to advance the region and face the challenges that surround them, especially when it comes to Iran’s nuclear and ballistic missile program.
The summit in AlUla comes a day after Saudi Arabia reopened its airspace and land and sea borders to Qatar, marking an end of a three-year boycott in diplomatic and trade ties between the two countries.
“We thank Saudi Arabia for its efforts to promote the march and unity of the Gulf Cooperation Council,” Prince Salman bin Hamad said.
The United Arab Emirates delegation is being headed by Vice President Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid while Oman’s delegation is being led by Deputy Prime Minister Fahd bin Mahmoud al-Said.
Kuwait, who has played a major role as mediator between the boycotting countries and Qatar for the past several years, sent its Emir Sheikh Nawaf al-Ahmad al-Sabah.
