Kuwait City: “GCC… United Journey” was the slogan for the 45th Gulf Summit held in Kuwait last Sunday, encapsulating the regional countries’ collective desire to achieve the aspirations and dreams of their people while reinforcing the Gulf countries’ global presence.

According to Kuwait News Agency, the GCC leaders took center stage through the summit’s final communique and the “Kuwait declaration,” committing to several comprehensive goals. These goals include strengthening ties among the council’s members, enhancing regional presence amid growing challenges, and expanding strategic partnerships with countries, international political blocs, and organizations.

The GCC, established in 1981, has consistently kept pace with global developments by coordinating efforts across various domains. During this critical period for the region, the summit emphasized accelerating GCC economic integration as the main engine for cooperation plans aimed at recreating stability and sustainable development both regionally a
nd globally.

A significant focus of the GCC leaders during the summit was the digital economy. They advocated for a unified digital market among Gulf countries, which would enable the region to compete on a global scale. The summit’s slogan highlighted the necessity of a unified journey, requiring robust defense cooperation and coordination to transition from “cooperation” to “unity.”

The Kuwait declaration reiterated the GCC members’ firm convictions regarding Arab and Islamic issues, particularly the Palestinian cause. It emphasized the establishment of an independent state within the June 1967 borders for Palestinians, with eastern Jerusalem as its capital, based on the Arab peace initiative and international laws.

In this context, the GCC summit strongly condemned the Israeli occupation’s aggression against the Gaza Strip and its people, urging the international community to move towards sustainable peace in the Middle East through a coalition advocating for a two-state solution.