By: Nanju Francisco
Manama: The Supreme Council of the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf (GCC) concluded its 46th Session—the Bahrain Summit—at Sakhir Palace. Chaired by His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, the Summit issued a comprehensive Final Statement today.
The meeting was held under the chairmanship of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, with the participation of Their Majesties and Highnesses:
l His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister, and Head of the Presidential Court of the United Arab Emirates
l His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
l His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tariq, Sultan of Oman
l His Excellency Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani, Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the State of Qatar
l His Highness Sheikh Mishal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, Emir of the State of Kuwait
GCC Joint Action and Economic Integration
The Council firmly reiterated that the security of the GCC states is indivisible and stressed the full implementation of the vision of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques to complete economic unity and joint defense systems.
Customs and Market: Approved the gradual implementation of the customs data exchange platform during the second half of 2026.
Infrastructure: Approved the establishment of the Civil Aviation Authority for the GCC States (headquartered in the UAE) and the General Agreement for Linking the GCC States to the Railway Project.
Security & Governance: Adopted the Gulf Security Strategy to Combat Money Laundering Crimes for 2026-2030.
Key Regional and Arab Issues
The Council affirmed its commitment to alleviating the suffering of the Palestinian people, demanding an end to the siege on Gaza, and ensuring the continuous entry of humanitarian aid.
Ceasefire: Commended the efforts of the guarantor states, especially the State of Qatar, in reaching a ceasefire agreement and facilitating the release of hostages.
Two-State Solution: Emphasized that the future of the Gaza Strip must be within the framework of a unified Palestinian state and the full implementation of the two-state solution.
Condemnation: Held Israel fully responsible for its ongoing violations, condemning the policies of genocide, deliberate siege, and ethnic cleansing against the Palestinian people.
Jerusalem: Affirmed support for the Jordanian Jerusalem Waqf and condemned attempts to impose Israeli sovereignty over Jerusalem.
Kingdom of Morocco
The Supreme Council reaffirmed its unwavering support for the Kingdom of Morocco’s position on the Sahara issue:
Moroccan Sahara: Reaffirmed the Moroccan identity of the Sahara and supported the autonomy initiative to resolve the issue of the Moroccan Sahara.
UN Resolution: Welcomed UN Security Council Resolution 2797 of October 31, 2025, which adopted this initiative.
Somalia
The Council stressed its support for the Federal Republic of Somalia’s stability and sovereignty:
Sovereignty: Affirmed the GCC’s support for Somalia in all matters that would support its security, stability, sovereignty, and territorial integrity.
Ethiopia Relations: Welcomed the agreement reached between Somalia and Ethiopia on December 11, 2024, and the restoration of full diplomatic relations, calling it an important step for security in Africa.
Counter-Terrorism: Stressed the need for concerted regional and international efforts to support the Somali government in combating terrorism and extremism.
Disputes Over Islands and Resources
Iranian-Occupied Islands: Reiterated its condemnation of Iran’s continued occupation of the three islands (Greater Tunb, Lesser Tunb, and Abu Musa) belonging to the United Arab Emirates, calling on Iran to resolve the issue through direct negotiations or by resorting to the International Court of Justice.
Al-Durra Field: Affirmed that the ownership of natural resources in the Durra field is jointly owned by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the State of Kuwait only.
