Foreign Minister Dr Abdullatif Al Zayani chaired yesterday the 168th meeting of the Ministerial Council of the Gulf Co-operation Council (GCC), which was attended by the GCC foreign ministers and GCC secretary-general Jasem Al Budaiwi.
Addressing the session, 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, along with their best wishes for the meeting’s success.
Dr Al Zayani said the meeting continued a firmly established Gulf journey whose foundations were laid by the founding leaders in 1981.
The GCC was established as a framework to safeguard the security of member states and secure the future of their generations.
He said the GCC’s solidarity with Saudi Arabia was unwavering, rooted in a shared destiny and collective responsibility.
The kingdom’s security, he added, was an integral part of the security of all GCC states.
“The past period has witnessed practical steps to implement the directives issued at the 19th consultative meeting of the GCC leaders, held in Jeddah on April 28.
“These steps included accelerating the GCC railway project, strengthening electricity and water interconnection, studying projects for oil and gas transportation and strategic reserves, and expanding co-operation in energy, food security, trade, industry and health,” he added.
He expressed appreciation for the progress achieved and called for faster implementation so that Gulf integration would become a tangible reality paving the way towards economic unity.
The Foreign Minister said the meeting was taking place amid rapidly evolving regional developments that posed threats to regional security and stability.
He expressed the GCC’s strong condemnation of the continued terrorist attacks carried out by the Houthi militia against civilian targets in Saudi Arabia, including civil airports and economic and vital facilities.
Dr Al Zayani described these attacks as a flagrant violation of international humanitarian law, a serious threat to the safety of international civil aviation, and a clear breach of the Chicago Convention and the resolutions of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO).
Dr Al Zayani affirmed the GCC’s full solidarity with Saudi Arabia and its complete support for the legitimate measures it takes to safeguard its sovereignty and security and protect its citizens and residents.
He also emphasised the importance to freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz and Bab Al Mandab since the adoption of Resolution 2817 (2026), submitted by Saudi Arabia on behalf of the GCC states and Jordan.
He reiterated the condemnation of attacks on commercial vessels and oil tankers in the Strait of Hormuz, the Red Sea and the Bab Al Mandab Strait, rejecting any attempt to make the right of transit passage conditional on prior permission or imposed restrictions.
He called on the Security Council and the International Maritime Organisation to fulfil their responsibilities in safeguarding maritime safety and protecting seafarers.
Dr Al Zayani also expressed appreciation for the good offices of Oman and Qatar in mediating between the United States and Iran, building on the successful efforts of Pakistan that resulted in the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding and contributed to the cessation of military operations between the two sides.
The Foreign Minister reiterated the GCC’s support for Yemen’s Presidential Leadership Council and legitimate government, as well as a comprehensive political settlement to the Yemeni crisis based on the three agreed references. He also called for strict enforcement of the arms embargo under UN Security Council Resolution 2216 (2015).
The GCC secretary-general also addressed the meeting, expressing deep gratitude to His Majesty, the Chairman of the current session of the GCC Supreme Council, for his continued support to the council’s work.
Mr Al Budaiwi praised Bahrain’s efforts during its current presidency to advance GCC integration, strengthen co-ordination and consultation among member states, and promote the priorities of joint action.
The secretary-general said the Houthi terrorist militia’s attacks against Saudi Arabia represented deliberate criminal conduct that showed disregard for human life, the safety of civilian facilities and the consequences of escalation for regional security and stability.
He reiterated the GCC’s unequivocal condemnation of the attacks and rejected the continued targeting of airports, civilian facilities and energy infrastructure.
Mr Al Budaiwi also stressed that the repeated Iranian attacks against GCC states could not be overlooked. He described them as flagrant violations of their sovereignty and territorial integrity and direct threats to their security and stability.
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