GCC leaders reaffirm ‘indivisible security’ bond at Bahrain summit

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GCC leaders said that their goal was to consolidate a just, comprehensive and lasting peace in the Middle East. (SPA)
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Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman was received by Crown Prince and Prime Minister of Bahrain Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa in Manama ahead of the GCC 46th summit. (SPA)
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Crown Prince heads Saudi Arabia's delegation at the GCC 46th session in Manama. (SPA)
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Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman arrives in Bahrain to attend the 46th session of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) being held in the capital Manama. (SPA)
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Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman held a meeting with the Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni on the sidelines of the summit. (SPA)
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Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman led the Saudi delegation at the GCC summit. (SPA)
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Updated 03 December 2025
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GCC leaders reaffirm ‘indivisible security’ bond at Bahrain summit

  • Any infringement on member state’s sovereignty deemed threat to collective security
  • Nations emphasize goal of making Middle East free from nuclear weapons

LONDON: Leaders of the Gulf Cooperation Council reaffirmed their indivisible security bond rooted in common faith, lineage, language and a shared destiny at the conclusion of the 46th session of the Supreme Council at Al-Sakhir Palace in Bahrain.

The delegates declared that the security of GCC states was indivisible and that any infringement on a member state’s sovereignty was a direct threat to their collective security.

“Respecting the sovereignty of GCC states and all countries of the region, noninterference in their internal affairs and rejecting the use of force or the threat thereof,” they said in a statement.

GCC Secretary Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi said that Gulf states united in their support for Qatar following separate attacks on it this year by Iran and Israel amid the conflict in Gaza.

The Iranian missile attack targeting the US Al-Udeid Air Base in June was “a rejected aggression, a clear violation of its sovereignty, airspace and the principles of good neighborliness,” he said.

Israel launched an airstrike targeting Hamas figures in Doha in September, which killed six people, including a Qatari citizen.

“The brutal Israeli aggression … represented a blatant assault on international efforts aimed at a ceasefire and the release of hostages,” Albudaiwi said.

Gulf leaders welcomed the outcomes of the Sharm El-Sheikh Peace Summit in October and international efforts to end the Gaza war, facilitate humanitarian aid and support an independent Palestinian state along the pre-1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital, in alignment with the two-state solution and the Arab Peace Initiative.

They said that their goal was to consolidate a just, comprehensive and lasting peace in the Middle East, while also working to resolve regional and international conflicts through peaceful means.

Albudaiwi praised Saudi Arabia and France for co-chairing a September conference in New York, which led to recognition of Palestinian statehood by several countries, including the UK, Canada and Australia. He also commended the persistent efforts of Qatar, Egypt and Turkiye in facilitating the discussions that led to the Gaza agreement.

Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman led the Saudi delegation at the GCC summit and co-chaired the fourth meeting of the Saudi-Bahraini Coordination Council.

Bahraini King Hamad bin Isa bin Salman Al-Khalifa said that the summit addressed regional issues and various methods to enhance GCC solidarity and integration.

Emir of Kuwait Sheikh Mishal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah said the GCC had overcome complex regional and international circumstances and reiterated the GCC’s condemnation of Israel’s aggression toward Qatar.

The leaders emphasized the goal of making the Middle East free from nuclear weapons and those of mass destruction. They highlighted the efforts of joint naval forces headquartered in Bahrain to enhance energy security, protect maritime navigation and safeguard international trade.

They also stressed the need to fulfill the requirements of the GCC Common Market and Customs Union, boost trade and tourism and invest in key areas such as infrastructure, transport, energy, communications, water and food.

The leaders welcomed Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, who attended the summit as guest of honor.

The GCC was established in 1981 and consists of six members: Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Oman, Bahrain, Qatar and Kuwait. Its headquarters are located in Riyadh.


Saudi and Qatari foreign ministers co-chair coordination council in Riyadh

Updated 04 December 2025
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Saudi and Qatari foreign ministers co-chair coordination council in Riyadh

  • Meeting discussed strengthening cooperation through several initiatives
  • Executive committee provided an overview of the council’s activities

LONDON: Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Prince Faisal bin Farhan, and his Qatari counterpart, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani, co-chaired the executive committee meeting of the Saudi-Qatari Coordination Council in Riyadh.

The meeting on Thursday reviewed ties and ways to enhance them at both bilateral and multilateral levels. They also discussed strengthening cooperation through several initiatives that could elevate relations to broader prospects, according to the Saudi Press Agency.

Both sides commended the cooperation among the committees under the coordination council.

The executive committee secretariat provided an overview of the council’s activities and its committees over the past period, along with the latest updates and preparatory work for the eighth meeting, the SPA added.

At the end of the meeting, the ministers signed the minutes of the council’s executive committee.