The 46th Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Summit on Wednesday in Manama embodies the collective aspirations of the member states' citizens for deeper cooperation, comprehensive integration, and strengthened bonds across all levels. His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik will lead the delegation of the Sultanate of Oman participating in this pivotal gathering, alongside the esteemed leaders of the GCC member states.
The summit deliberations are anticipated to encompass a thorough review of the joint Gulf cooperative journey across all political, economic and security domains. This review will be guided by the directives of the Council's leaders. The agenda will also facilitate a strategic exchange of perspectives on current international and regional developments and their implications for regional security and stability. Furthermore, discussions will focus on the concerted endeavours of the GCC member states to propel initiatives aimed at establishing comprehensive peace in the region and forging unified stances in response to evolving regional dynamics.
Jassem Mohammed al Budaiwi, GCC Secretary-General, underscored the imperative to reinforce the various pillars of Gulf, regional and international collaboration. He expressed his profound hope that the Bahrain Summit will yield constructive resolutions and recommendations, thereby contributing a new cornerstone to the illustrious edifice of the Council's blessed march. He affirmed that the substantive breadth and depth of these agenda items vividly reflect the Council's considerable regional and international stature. They also cement the reality that the achievements secured by the member states on the path to Gulf integration — a paramount objective of the Council's leaders — are advancing resolutely in the correct direction, fully aligned with the Gulf peoples' aspirations and ambitions for greater unity and shared prosperity.
Shaikh Ahmed bin Hashel al Maskari, Head of the Department for the Gulf Cooperation Council and Regional Neighbourhood, said Oman, under the leadership of His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik, reiterates its unwavering commitment to bolstering the march of the Gulf Cooperation Council and strengthening the frameworks for collective action among its sisterly nations. He emphasised that the Council's cohesion and the unity of perspectives on shared regional concerns constitute indispensable pillars for safeguarding security and stability and propelling comprehensive development trajectories across the member states.
This principled Omani stance, he noted, is consistently manifested through active and constructive participation in all GCC summits, ministerial meetings and specialised committees. This engagement springs from Oman's profound conviction in the imperative of deepening integration across all political, economic, social and developmental spheres — a commitment that amplifies the Council's collective capacity to navigate regional challenges and forge a more prosperous future for its peoples.
He further indicated that Oman Vision 2040 is strategically aligned with the overarching visions of fellow GCC states, all of which prioritise citizen welfare and quality of life at the heart of their joint endeavours. Oman places particular emphasis on collaborative projects in trade, services, connectivity and infrastructure, recognising these as fundamental components of the Gulf economic integration journey. It is anticipated that these pivotal subjects will command prioritised attention in the deliberations of the leadership and specialised ministerial committees, thereby fulfilling the objectives of the common Gulf market and reinforcing all concerted efforts to advance economic and investment cooperation.
The forthcoming summit is anticipated to concentrate decisively on advancing the agenda of economic integration and fortifying shared developmental frameworks, alongside the coordination of political positions regarding regional and international developments. The Sultanate of Oman approaches these pivotal matters from a foundational principle dedicated to consolidating the unity and solidity of the Gulf front. It underscores the paramount importance of adopting dialogue, diplomacy, and mediation rooted in positive neutrality as the principal methodology for addressing regional issues and securing enduring peace and stability. The Sultanate of Oman further posits that sustainable economic cooperation necessitates the cultivation of broader strategic partnerships and a more profound diversification of income sources.
On the commercial front, the Sultanate of Oman endorses any measure that contributes to amplifying the volume of intra-Gulf trade and investment, reducing customs tariffs, and improving the overall business climate. This support is strategically aligned with a focus on empowering the private sector and bolstering non-oil economic sectors, in full consonance with the strategic directives of Oman Vision 2040. Within the Council's institutional framework, Oman works diligently to extend bridges of cooperation with parallel economic blocs and influential global economic actors.
The Council states are actively deliberating the initiative for a unified Gulf tourist visa, often referred to as the "Gulf Schengen." This visa is slated for implementation following the fulfilment of requisite technical and legal prerequisites. Once operational, it will permit travellers streamlined access to all member states with a single visa, a development poised to significantly stimulate tourism and economic circulation within the GCC bloc.
He elaborated that the upcoming phase presents a tangible opportunity to substantially deepen cooperation across a spectrum of critical areas, including trade, energy, investment, advanced technologies and future-oriented industries. The comprehensive national modernisation visions pursued by the Council states — among them Oman Vision 2040 — are actively creating a more attractive and conducive environment for joint investments. These visions prioritise the development of key sectors such as tourism, logistics and technology-driven industries, with the overarching goal of reducing hydrocarbon dependence through systematic income source diversification.
Regarding strategic partnerships and cybersecurity, he stated that the competent Omani government bodies lend their full support to the ongoing steps designed to enhance collective cybersecurity capabilities among GCC states. This vital cooperation is centred on harmonising policies, developing national and regional capacities, facilitating the timely exchange of threat intelligence, and ultimately constructing a cohesive and resilient Gulf cybersecurity architecture capable of effectively countering evolving threats.
He highlighted that the GCC electrical interconnection grid is now fully operational and has already yielded considerable economic and technical benefits. The Sultanate of Oman is committed to its further development and the expansion of its capacities. Concerning the landmark Gulf Railway project, implementation is advancing with determined and steady progress. This transformative initiative represents a qualitative leap forward in the Gulf integration journey, promising to significantly enhance the fluidity of goods trade and the ease of cross-border movement for citizens.
Dr Youssef Abdulkarim al Boujairi, Director-General of Legal Affairs and Human Rights of Bahrain, remarked that Bahrain has the honour of hosting the forty-sixth session of the GCC Supreme Council. This occasion follows nearly four decades of sustained joint Gulf action, a journey that has attained remarkable levels of solidarity and tangible achievement across the Council's diverse cycles.
"We look to this year's Bahrain Summit to fulfil a portion of the lofty aspirations of Their Majesties and Highnesses, the leaders of the GCC states, and to correspondingly meet the hopes of the Gulf peoples for greater progress, welfare and prosperity. We are presented with an extensive agenda encompassing social, economic, cultural and investment files. This is in addition to examining several axes of the strategic relations that bind the Council states to nations across the globe, alongside the promising future trajectories these relations entail." — ONA
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