The Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), Jassem Mohamed Al-Badiou, confirmed that the GCC countries have demonstrated this year their cohesion and shared destiny through their collective stance on the two incidents that Qatar was subjected to. These incidents include the Iranian missile attacks and the Israeli aggression. Al-Badiou stressed that Qatar's security is an integral part of the security of the GCC countries. During the 46th Supreme Council session of the GCC, hosted by the Kingdom of Bahrain, Al-Badiou reaffirmed the GCC's unwavering position on the Palestinian issue, calling for an end to the occupation and the establishment of an independent Palestinian state on the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital. He commended the international and regional efforts, led by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and the conferences that support the two-state solution and a ceasefire in Gaza. Al-Badiou also highlighted the key achievements of joint GCC cooperation in 2025, which included expanding international partnerships through summits and meetings with significant countries and regional groups, as well as tangible progress in military cooperation, implementing the decisions of the Joint Defense Council, and conducting joint naval exercises and maneuvers. Furthermore, he addressed the progress in economic integration tracks, including the establishment of the GCC Civil Aviation Authority, the commencement of the implementation of the GCC Center for the Fourth Industrial Revolution, enhancing the Customs Union and the GCC Common Market, launching the Gulf Industrial Platform, and starting free trade negotiations with Malaysia. In the legislative and security domains, Al-Badiou pointed to the adoption of a set of unified guidelines and systems, enhancing efforts to combat corruption and money laundering, and preparing for joint security exercises and the GCC Global Security Conference, which will be hosted by the United Arab Emirates in 2027. In conclusion of his speech, the Secretary-General stated that the Council of Ministers has submitted to the summit the outcomes and recommendations regarding the files of joint GCC work.
