HRH Prince Salman to lead Bahrain delegation to 41st GCC Summit

TDT | Manama

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com

On behalf of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister, will leave for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to lead Bahrain’s delegation to the 41st Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Summit, taking place today.

The Kingdom of Bahrain reaffirms both its commitment to supporting the GCC and its desire to reinforce cooperation for the benefit of the citizens in the region.

HRH the Crown Prince and Prime Minister will be accompanied by an official delegation which includes Foreign Affairs Minister Dr Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani, Finance and National Economy Minister Shaikh Salman bin Khalifa Al Khalifa and a number of other senior officials.

Saudi Arabia will host the event at the city of Al-Ula under the chairpersonship of the country’s King Salman bin Abdulaziz and despite the exceptional circumstances that are being experienced worldwide due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

It will take place at Maraya Concert Hall, a cube-shaped structure covered by more than 9,500 square metres of mirrors. It is hoped that the summit will heal the ongoing rift between GCC states, consolidate reconciliation, and enhance cooperation.

The discussions that have been tabled for the summit, the 10th session to be hosted by Saudi Arabia, will last for one day. This year’s summit will take place in the presence of Saudi and Qatari representatives to overcome differences.

The summit is expected to discuss relations with Iran and its nuclear programme, alongside regional and international strategic partnerships, and Gulf economic cooperation.

The discussions will take place in light of the profound geopolitical transformations that the Arab region, as well as worldwide, is going through.

Kuwaiti Foreign Minister Ahmed Nasser Al Mohamed Al Sabah said that his country’s mediation between Qatar and its neighbouring countries had led to indications that all parties were keen to achieve a “final agreement” through “fruitful discussions”.

GCC ambassadors met in Kuwait to discuss regional matters ahead of the Gulf Summit, state news agency KUNA reported. Last Thursday, Al-Sabah said that he was optimistic about Saudi Arabia’s organisation of the summit.

He also discussed Kuwait’s commitment in following the legacy of late Emir Sheikh Sabah Al-Jaber Al-Sabah regarding non-intervention in the internal affairs of other states, and the unity of Gulf countries.

This Gulf summit comes after US efforts to push GCC countries to put an end to their crisis, which has been ongoing since 2017, when Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain and Egypt severed their relations with Doha.

The head of Saudi Arabia’s Shura Council, Shaikh Abdullah bin Mohamed bin Ibrahim Al Al Sheikh, said that King Salman places the issue of unity and success among GCC countries, as well as the council’s continuation, at the forefront of his concerns.

He also stressed that the invitation to GCC leaders comes in exceptional circumstances, which require unity of ranks and the strengthening of joint Gulf action