Joint Ministerial Meeting of the GCC-U.S. Strategic Partnership

On April 29, 2024, a joint ministerial meeting focusing on the strategic partnership between the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and the United States was convened at the General Secretariat headquarters in Riyadh. The meeting was chaired by Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani, the Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Qatar, who presided over the current session of the Council of Ministers. It was attended by the foreign ministers of GCC member states and U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken.[1]

Objectives and Discussions

The foreign ministers reaffirmed their commitment to advancing the progress made in previous meetings, notably the most recent session held on September 18, 2023. The discussions aimed to enhance consultation, coordination, and cooperation across various sectors. Jassim Mohammed Al-Budaiwi, the Secretary-General of the GCC, emphasized the strategic partnership's importance in promoting peace, security, stability, integration, and economic prosperity within the region.

The meeting covered various international and regional issues, with a particular focus on the situation in the Gaza Strip. The GCC ministers stressed the urgent need for an immediate and comprehensive ceasefire, alongside a call for the preservation of all military operations in accordance with international law. They condemned restrictions that hinder the entry of humanitarian aid and basic necessities into Gaza and firmly rejected any actions that could lead to the displacement of the Palestinian people, including land seizures, military operations, and settler violence.[2]

  1. ^ "Körfez İşbirliği Konseyi ile Amerika Birleşik Devletleri arasındaki stratejik ortaklığa ilişkin ortak bakanlar toplantısının açıklaması - İİT Haber Ajansları Birliği". إتحاد وكالات أنباء دول منظمة التعاون الإسلامي (in Turkish). Retrieved 2024-12-03.
  2. ^ "Körfez İşbirliği Konseyi ile Amerika Birleşik Devletleri arasındaki stratejik ortaklığa ilişkin ortak bakanlar toplantısının açıklaması - İİT Haber Ajansları Birliği". إتحاد وكالات أنباء دول منظمة التعاون الإسلامي (in Turkish). Retrieved 2024-12-03.