5 Top Points
- The EU-GCC High-Level Forum on Regional Security and Cooperation took place in Luxembourg.
- Kuwait and Iran discussed maritime security and drug smuggling.
- Oman and the UAE established investment partnerships worth about €29.8 billion.
- The European Commission approved 5-year multiple-entry visa for citizens of Bahrain, Oman, and Saudi Arabia.
- Iraq, Qatar, Türkiye and the UAE signed an MoU on the Baghdad Development Road project.
‘Round and About the Gulf
Kingdom of Bahrain
Friday, 19 April–The Bahraini government and the other GCC members’ governments (Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE) expressed regret over the United Nations (UN) Security Council’s inability to pass a resolution endorsing Palestine’s complete membership of the UN.
State of Kuwait
Sunday, 21 April–Sunday, 21 April–Kuwait’s Emir, Mishal Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, signed a decree appointing the Prime Minister, Ahmad Al-Abdullah Al-Sabah, as Deputy Emir while the Emir is abroad. The decree will remain valid until the naming of a Crown Prince.
Sultanate of Oman
Tuesday, 23 April–Oman and the UAE established investment partnerships worth $35 billion (about €29.8 billion) in various sectors, including renewable energy, railways, green metals and technology, and set up an industrial and energy mega project, valued at $31 billion (about €26.5 billion). Moreover, the two countries decided to establish a technology-focused fund worth $178.2 million (about €151.5 million) to invest in Oman’s digital economy and the wider MENA (Middle East and North Africa) region. The move came during talks between Oman’s Sultan, Haitahm bin Tariq Al-Said, and the UAE’s President, Mohammed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, in Abu Dhabi.
State of Qatar
Monday, 22 April–Qatar’s Ministry of Transport, signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the UAE’s Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure, Türkiye’s Ministry of Transport, and Iraq’s Ministry of Transport, regarding cooperation on the Development Road project in Baghdad. The project is expected to contribute to facilitating trade and travel between the participating countries.
Tuesday, 23 April–Qatar’s Foreign Ministry stated that it remains committed to its mediation role in the ceasefire talks between Israel and Hamas. This comes after last week’s re-evaluation of its role due to concerns over the ‘exploitation and abuse’ of its diplomatic efforts. Moreover, the Ministry affirmed that Hamas’ political leadership would stay in Doha as long as their presence remained beneficial to mediation efforts regarding the Gaza situation.
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Tuesday, 23 April–Saudi Arabia will host the World Economic Forum (WEF) Special Meeting on Global Collaboration, Growth and Energy for Development from 28 to 29 April, in Riyadh. The two-day event will gather more than 1000 global leaders, including heads of states and governments, as well as representatives from the public and private sectors, international organisations, academic institutions, and non-governmental organisations (NGOs).
United Arab Emirates
Thursday, 24 April–The UAE’s Ministry of Investment and Kenya’s Ministry of Finance and National Treasury signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) aimed at fostering investment collaboration to develop Kenya’s mining sector. The MoU outlines plans for cooperation in various aspects of the mining industry, including exploration, extraction, and mineral resource management. The UAE expressed its commitment in diversifying its investment portfolio and supporting sustainable development initiatives in Africa. The MoU was signed following last month’s bilateral investment cooperation agreement aimed at advancing Kenya’s digital infrastructure sector.
EU Corner
Monday, 22 April–The first EU-GCC High-Level Forum on Regional Security and Cooperation took place in Luxembourg. The event was co-chaired by the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, and Qatar’s Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani. The Forum discussed EU-GCC security and strategic cooperation, as well as ways to enhance joint diplomatic efforts in order to promote peace, security, and sustainable development. The EU and GCC countries’ Foreign Ministers, the GCC’s Secretary General, Jasem Mohamed Al-Budaiwi, and the EU Special Representative to the Gulf, Luigi Di Maio, attended the meeting.
Monday, 22 April–The European Commission adopted new rules for the issuance of Schengen visas for citizens of Bahrain, Oman and Saudi Arabia. The updated guidelines stipulate that nationals residing in the three countries, including first-time applicants, will receive a multiple-entry visa, enabling them to visit the EU on numerous occasions within a five-year period.
Monday, 22 April–The European Parliament reached a political agreement to expand sanctions on Iran in response to the unprecedented attack on Israel on 13 April. The sanctions aim to restrict the export of components made in the EU that are utilised in manufacturing unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), referred to as drones, as well as ballistic missiles. Previously, the EU had established dedicated sanctions to target drones manufactured in Iran, used by Russia against Ukraine, as well as individuals and entities involved in Iran’s UAV program, including travel bans and asset freezes.
Tuesday, 23 April–The European Union Delegation to Kuwait, headed by Ambassador Anne Koistinen, organised a high-level event titled ‘Supporting a Just Transition Towards a Greener Economy in Kuwait: the Role of the Private Sector’, in collaboration with Kuwait’s Chamber of Commerce and the International Labour Organisation (ILO) for Arab States to exchange best practices regarding green transition. The meeting was attended by numerous Kuwaiti and European companies.
Key Official Visits
Friday, 19 April–On the sidelines of the UN Our Ocean Conference in Greece, Bahrain’s Oil and Environment Minister, Special Envoy for Climate Affairs, Mohammed bin Mubarak Al-Khalifa, met with Qatar’s Minister of Environment and Climate Change, Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al-Subaie. The talks aimed to enhance collaboration on various environmental initiatives and climate-related issues, including sustainable development, biodiversity conservation, and climate change mitigation.
Friday, 19 April–The UAE’s President, Mohamed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, held a phone call with the French President, Emmanuel Macron, on strengthening bilateral ties in various fields, including politics, economy and culture through continued dialogue and engagement.
Saturday, 20 April–Qatar’s Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani, met with Abu Dhabi’s Deputy Ruler and UAE’s National Security Adviser, Tahnoun bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, in Doha. During the meeting, they discussed bilateral cooperation and regional and international issues of common concern.
Saturday, 20 April–Iran’s Foreign Minister, Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, held separate phone calls with Omani counterpart, Badr bin Hamad Al-Busaidi, and Emirati counterpart, Abdullah bin Zayed Al-Nahyan. They discussed the need to address the causes of the regional tensions through dialogue, diplomacy, and political solutions.
Monday, 22 April–United Kingdom’s Minister of State for the Middle East, North Africa, South Asia, United Nations and the Commonwealth, Lord Tariq Ahmad of Wimbledon, went on an official visit to Bahrain. In Manama, he separately met with the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Adbullatif bin Rashid Al-Zayani, and the Minister of Interior, Rashid bin Abdullah Al-Khalifa. The discussions focused on cooperation in counter-terrorism efforts, law enforcement cooperation, and strategies to enhance regional stability.
Monday, 22 April–Kuwait’s Director General of the Coast Guard, Commodore Mubarak Ali Al-Sabah, held a roundtable discussion with Iranian Border Guards Commander, Major General Ahmad Goudarzi, in Kuwait, to discuss commercial and fishing vessel search, rescue efforts, drug smuggling, and maritime piracy. Both sides underlined the importance of maritime security cooperation.
Monday, 22 April–Oman’s Sultan, Haithim bin Tariq Al-Said, went on an official visit to the UAE. He held talks with UAE’s President, Mohamed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, on strengthening bilateral cooperation in various sectors, including economic development, trade, investment, security, and cultural exchange. Moreover, they emphasised the importance of continued collaboration in promoting regional peace, stability, and prosperity.
Monday, 22 April–On the sidelines of the EU-GCC High-Level Forum on Regional Security and Cooperation, in Luxembourg, the GCC Ministers held a series of bilateral meetings, notably:
- Bahrain’s Undersecretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for Political Affairs, Abdulla bin Ahmed Al-Khalifa, separately met with Estonia’s Secretary-General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Jonatan Vseviov; Germany’s Minister of State at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Tobias Lindner; and Greek Minister of Foreign Affairs, George Gerapetritis.
- Kuwait’s Deputy Foreign Minister, Jarrah Jaber A-Sabah, met with Cyprus’ Foreign Minister, Constantinos Kombos.
- Qatar’s Prime MInister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani, separately with Ireland’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Defense, Michael Martin; Italy’s Vice President of the Council of Ministers and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Antonio Tajani; Luxembourg’s Prime Minister, Luc Frieden, and the Grand Duke, Henri; the Netherlands’ Minister of Foreign Affairs, Hanke Bruins; Spain’s Minister for Foreign Affairs, Jose Manuel Albares; Swedish Minister of Foreign Affairs, Tobias Billstrom; and the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell.
- Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister, Faisal bin Farhan Al-Saud, met with Austria’s Foreign Minister, Alexander Schallenberg; Denmark’s Foreign Minister, Lars Løkke Rasmussen; Italy’s Vice President of the Council of Ministers and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Antonio Tajani; the Netherlands’ Minister of Foreign Affairs, Hanke Bruins; Poland’s Foreign Minister, Radek Sikorski; and Spain’s Minister for Foreign Affairs, Jose Manuel Albares.
Tuesday, 23 April–Kuwait’s Emir, Mishal Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, accompanied by the Foreign Minister, Abdullah Ali Al-Yahya, and Minister of Finance, Anwar Ali Al-Mudhaf, went on an official visit to Amman, for talks with Jordan’s King, Abdullah II, centred on the recent security developments in the region, including efforts to reach a ceasefire in Gaza.
Wednesday, 24 April–Bahrain’s Foreign Minister, Abdullatif bin Rashid Al-Zayani, travelled to Oman, Saudi Arabia and the UAE. He met with Oman’s Foreign Minister, Badr bin Hamad Al-Busaidi, Saudi Foreign Minister, Faisal bin Farhan Al-Saud, and with UAE’s Foreign Minister, Abdullah bin Zayed Al-Nahyan. During his tour, he discussed bilateral cooperation, the need for a ceasefire in Gaza, and the preparation of the 32nd session of the Arab Summit to be held in Bahrain on 16 May. Moreover, he discussed joint projects and the intention to sign a number of new agreements aimed at strengthening cooperation with Oman.
Wednesday, 24 April–The first Omani-American Economic Forum took place in Washington, DC. Headed by Oman’s Foreign Ministry Undersecretary for Political Affairs, Khalifa bin Ali Al-Harthy, and US Undersecretary of State for Economic Growth, Energy and Environment. The two sides discussed opportunities available to US companies in the Omani market, highlighting the clean energy sector.
Wednesday, 24 April–Qatar’s Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani, met with Greece’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, George Gerapetritis, in Doha. During the meeting, they discussed bilateral cooperation and ways to strengthen and develop them, as well as the regional developments and ways to de-escalate tensions.