Manama: The Kingdom of Bahrain is set to host on Thursday, November 13, the 19th periodic meeting of the leaders of Shura, Representatives, National, and Ummah Councils of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries. This significant gathering will take place under the chairmanship of Ahmed bin Salman Al Musallam, Speaker of the Council of Representatives and Chair of the Executive Committee of the Parliamentary Division. The meeting is aimed at enhancing parliamentary cooperation and integration among GCC states, alongside unifying legislative positions and perspectives on issues of mutual regional and international concern.
According to Bahrain News Agency, the Kingdom of Bahrain's delegation will be led by Ali bin Saleh Al Saleh, Chairman of the Shura Council. Preceding the main event, the 24th meeting of the Parliamentary Coordination and Foreign Relations Committee is scheduled for Tuesday. This preliminary meeting will focus on reviewing agenda items, reports, and recommendations to be presented for adoption during the final session.
The agenda for the 19th meeting encompasses several core topics, including the report from the 18th meeting and recommendations from a symposium on the legislative role of GCC parliaments in the realm of artificial intelligence governance. Discussions will also cover joint issues among GCC legislative councils, the enhancement of parliamentary cooperation with the European Parliament, and the strengthening of ties with the parliaments of Latin American and Caribbean countries. Additionally, there will be a proposal for the GCC Secretariat General to join the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) as an observer and an expansion of cooperation with the Parliament of Ukraine.
Bahrain's hosting of the meeting underscores its role in supporting joint GCC parliamentary efforts. It also highlights the promotion of cooperation and coordination among legislative councils, contributing to unified stances on Gulf, Arab, and international matters, and advancing legislative integration across GCC states.