Manama: A joint ministerial meeting between the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) was held on the sidelines of the 81st session of the UN General Assembly. The meeting was attended by GCC and ASEAN foreign ministers, GCC Secretary-General Jassem Mohamed Albudaiwi, and Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, ASEAN Secretary-General Dr. Kao Kim Hourn.
According to Bahrain News Agency, The GCC side was chaired by Dr. Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Chair of the current session of the GCC Ministerial Council, while the ASEAN side was chaired by Enrique Manalo, Secretary of Foreign Affairs of the Philippines.
In his opening remarks, Dr. Al Zayani thanked ASEAN member states for their solidarity with GCC countries during a particularly difficult period and expressed appreciation for their recognition of the GCC's efforts to advance dialogue, mediation and regional stability.
He noted that since the first GCC-ASEAN meeting in 2023, the partnership has gained significant momentum, including two summits, the establishment of a cooperation framework, and expanded dialogue across a range of strategic sectors.
Looking ahead to the third GCC-ASEAN Summit next year, Dr. Al Zayani said the priority should now be to translate this momentum into practical, measurable cooperation through concrete initiatives that serve the shared interests of governments and peoples.
He added that the meeting provided an important opportunity to assess existing commitments, identify priorities for the next phase of the partnership, and exchange views on regional and international developments affecting shared security and prosperity.
The meeting reviewed GCC-ASEAN cooperation and discussed ways to further strengthen and broaden the strategic partnership across political, economic and development fields, while emphasizing continued efforts to advance regional security and stability for the benefit of all.
The ministers also discussed the latest regional and international developments, international efforts to enhance security and stability in the region, and a number of issues of mutual interest.
The meeting was attended by Ambassador Jamal Fares Al Rowaiei, Permanent Representative of Bahrain to the United Nations in New York; Ambassador Shaikh Abdullah bin Ali Al Khalifa, Director General of Bilateral Relations; Ambassador Saeed Abdulkhaliq Saeed, Chief of Coordination and Follow-up; and the Minister's accompanying delegation.