Gulf leaders meet for GCC summit in Kuwait
The 45th session of the Gulf Cooperation Council Summit kicked off in Kuwait on Sunday.
In addition to discussing the war in Gaza, which entered its second year in October, the summit will tackle developments in Lebanon, Syria and Yemen.
Gulf leaders will also discuss means of boosting economic integration among member states and expanding horizons of joint Gulf work.
Speaking in an opening statement, Kuwait’s ruler urged for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza.
Emir Sheikh Meshal al-Ahmad al-Sabah called on the international community to implement “an immediate ceasefire, providing international protection for innocent civilians and ensuring the opening of safe corridors and the arrival of urgent humanitarian aid.”
The meeting of the six-member Gulf council comes at a time of acute and ongoing uncertainty for the Middle East following Hamas’s October 7, 2023 attack on Israel and a subsequent war on Gaza, raising concerns about a spillover to the region.
Sheikh Meshal also hit out at what he described as “double standards in the application of relevant international laws, charters and resolutions” which he said undermined “the region’s security and stability.”
He also said that Kuwait is “optimistic” about the recent ceasefire agreed between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon, adding that the truce would help contribute “to reducing escalation in the region.”
