Foreign Minister and current president of the Ministerial Council of the GCC Dr Abdullatif Al Zayani chaired the GCC-Canada Strategic Dialogue Ministerial Meeting.
The meeting was attended by GCC foreign ministers, Canadian Minister of Foreign Affairs Anita Anand and GCC Secretary General Jassim Mohammed Al Budaiwi.
Dr Al Zayani conveyed the greetings of His Majesty King Hamad and His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Crown Prince and Prime Minister. He expressed Bahrain’s pride in hosting the meeting and welcomed Canada’s participation, noting that it reflects Canada’s solidarity with GCC member states and support for their security and stability amid current regional developments.
The minister highlighted the growing partnership between the GCC and Canada, reflected in the Joint Action Plan 2025-2029 covering political, security, trade, and investment co-operation.
Dr Al Zayani said the meeting was being held amid continued Iranian attacks targeting GCC states with ballistic missiles and drones aimed at civilian facilities, energy infrastructure, and residential areas, in violation of the Charter of the United Nations, international law, principles of good neighbourliness, and United Nations Security Council Resolution 2817.
The two sides reviewed GCC-Canada relations within the framework of the strategic dialogue and discussed opportunities to expand co-operation in trade, investment, logistics, infrastructure, energy, defence industries, and food security. They also reviewed progress achieved under the partnership and agreed that the GCC General Secretariat would co-ordinate with member states and Canada to advance co-operation under the Joint Action Plan 2025-2029.
The meeting discussed regional developments, including the Iranian attacks targeting civilian facilities, vital infrastructure, and residential areas in GCC states, the implications of the closure of the Strait of Hormuz on maritime navigation, energy supplies, food security, and international trade, as well as Pakistani mediation efforts aimed at reaching an agreement that would restore peace, security, and stability in the region.
The minister underlined the right of GCC states to protect their security and citizens, while stressing the importance of intensified diplomatic efforts to prevent further escalation.
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