Gulf leaders are meeting in Bahrain on Wednesday for an “extremely important” summit at a time when the fast-changing region gets torn between the drive to build booming economies and the drag of ongoing conflicts.
The 46th ordinary summit of the Gulf Co-operation Council (GCC) will address a string of urgent issues, from finalising a joint defence system to navigating conflict-related regional diplomacy and advancing economic partnerships.
The agenda highlights how the GCC has grown in recent decades, shaping Middle East policy and taking on a larger role in international diplomacy.
The six member states have been keen to project alignment on major issues, even as they maintain different approaches on several key areas. “We are one voice and one position” and “our foreign policy is unified,” said GCC Secretary General Jasem Al Budaiwi. “This is an extremely important summit.”
Sultan Haitham of Oman was the first leader to arrive. His attendance carries symbolic diplomatic weight: it's the first time an Omani Sultan has taken part in a GCC summit in person since Sultan Qaboos in 2011.
Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed, Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of the Presidential Court, is
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