Diversification and security, the two main themes of the 42nd GCC Summit

The Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf (GCC) has not had the opportunity to meet since the signing of one of the most important agreements in the history of the region, or at least in terms of relations with Qatar. The Al Ula declaration put an end to four years of blockade and marked the beginning of a new phase in Gulf relations. Now, with differences with its Qatari neighbours apparently overcome, the GCC is meeting again with a focus on economic diversification, security and strategic cooperation in a meeting attended by representatives from Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar.

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman travelled a few days ago to the countries participating in the summit to strengthen ties ahead of the meeting in Riyadh. With the groundwork laid, bin Salman opened the event by saying that they hope to "build a prosperous economic bloc, and this requires the creation of a stimulating environment that depends on the diversification of sources of income". These words further reinforce one of the kingdom's long-standing goals of moving away from dependence on oil in economic terms.

Another key issue discussed at the 42nd Council summit was security. Saudi Arabia's foreign minister, Prince Faisal bin Farhan, said that the meeting came at a sensitive time for the Gulf states and that security strategies were high on the agenda. GCC Secretary General Nayef Falah Al-Hajraf also said that it is necessary to increase "teamwork" in order to face challenges for which we are currently unprepared. He also stressed the need to strengthen opportunities for women and youth, as well as digital transformation across the Gulf.

"The leaders agreed on principles and policies to develop strategic cooperation and integration of economic development among the GCC states and to achieve the aspirations of their citizens," said Al-Hajraf. This new meeting is an important step in the stabilisation of relations between all countries, including Qatar. Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim Al Thani said before the summit that "signs of positive political harmony in the Gulf region are beginning to appear on the horizon", which could include a possible future rapprochement with Iran, as suggested by Saudi Arabia's latest moves.

The Crown Prince was keen to stress that "the GCC was established to promote the security, stability, development, prosperity and welfare of the citizens of the Gulf countries. They are our basic wealth and, through them, they achieve our visions and hopes. For the Saudis, the Council for the Arab States of the Gulf is of paramount importance, as Mohammed bin Salman himself has demonstrated through his visits to participating countries over the past week.

Over the course of its history, the GCC has established up to 42 joint technological and economic institutions and 17 joint development agreements. It is to be hoped that this new meeting of the Council will bring with it initiatives that can promote, in addition to the progress of the region as a whole, a rapprochement with those countries that seem to have taken up the path of cooperation. However, it should not be forgotten that Qatar's apparent good faith may remain just an adjective, since the movements in some of the Gulf's hotspots, such as Yemen, showing increasingly strong support for the Houthis, leave no room for confidence in a country whose trajectory does not invite optimism.