5 Top Points
- Qatar, Oman and Iran held high-level talks in Tehran focused on advancing Oman’s mediation efforts in the ongoing US-Iran nuclear negotiations.
- US President Trump concluded Gulf tour with key economic and technology agreements, regional security commitments, and Syria sanctions shift.
- Kuwait and Spain deepened bilateral cooperation through Joint Committee talks and defence dialogue.
- Qatari Emir and Spanish Prime Minister participated in the Arab League Summit in Baghdad.
- The 26th EU-GCC Political Committee Meeting convened in Riyadh, reaffirming commitment to strategic dialogue and cooperation.
‘Round and About the Gulf
Kingdom of Bahrain
Saturday, 17 May—Bahrain’s Foreign Minister, Abdullatif bin Rashid Al-Zayani, praised King Hamad’s vision for promoting tolerance, dialogue, and peaceful coexistence as key pillars of regional and global stability. Marking Bahrain’s participation in the International Day of Living Together in Peace, Al-Zayani reaffirmed the Kingdom’s commitment to peaceful diplomacy, interfaith harmony, and international cooperation. He also highlighted Bahrain’s initiatives under the National Human Rights Action Plan, its aspiration for a non-permanent UN Security Council seat, and its role in combating extremism and terrorism.
State of Kuwait
Tuesday, 20 May—Kuwait plans to return to the global debt market this year, with plans to borrow between $10 and $20 billion to finance development projects, following the enactment of a new debt law in March, which sets a borrowing ceiling of 30 billion Kuwaiti dinars (approximately $97 billion) and allows for the issuance of debt instruments with maturities of up to 50 years. A complementary Sukuk law is expected to be approved in the near future.
Sultanate of Oman
Monday, 19 May—The Diwan of Royal Court announced that the planned visit of Sultan Haitham bin Tariq Al-Said to Spain, originally scheduled for 20 May, has been postponed until further notice.
State of Qatar
Tuesday, 20 May—Qatar plans to expand its LNG trading operations to handle up to 40 million tonnes of non-Qatari gas annually by 2030, complementing a doubling of domestic production to 160 million tonnes. Speaking at the Qatar Economic Forum, Energy Minister, Saad Al-Kaabi, confirmed that the expansion reflects growing global demand and Qatar’s intent to capture more value through its own trading arm, with exports from the North Field East project set to begin by mid-2026.
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Wednesday, 14 May—Humain, a new Saudi artificial intelligence company established under the Public Investment Fund, formed strategic partnerships with Nvidia, Amazon, and Advanced Micro Devices, which are expected to generate over $15 billion in investments and contribute to the deployment of hundreds of megawatts of AI computing capacity in the coming years.
United Arab Emirates
Thursday, 15 May—UAE’s DP World signed an initial $800 million agreement with Syria to develop Tartus port. Syria also intends to print its newly designed currency in the UAE and Germany, moving away from Russia amid improving relations with Gulf Arab and Western countries following the announced lifting of sanctions on Syria.
EU Corner
Friday, 16 May—The 26th meeting of the EU-GCC Political Committee of Senior Officials was held in Riyadh to strengthen their strategic partnership and enhance coordination across various sectors. Participants exchanged views on developments in Palestine, Syria, Lebanon, Yemen, Sudan, and Ukraine, and reaffirmed their commitment to deepening strategic dialogue. The meeting was attended by Michael Karnitschnig, Deputy Director General for the Middle East, North Africa, and Gulf at the European Commission, and Hélène Le Gal, Managing Director for the Middle East and North Africa at the European External Action Service (EEAS), among others.
Friday, 16 May—Senior diplomats from Iran and the E3 countries—Britain, France, and Germany—met in Istanbul for their first discussions on Iran’s nuclear programme since the US resumed nuclear negotiations with Tehran in April.
Monday, 19 May—Advisor to the Prime Minister and Spokesperson for Qatar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Majed bin Mohammed Al-Ansari, held separate meetings in Brussels with several EU officials, including EU Special Representative for the Gulf Region, Luigi Di Maio, and EEAS Deputy Secretary-General, Olof Skoog. Discussions focused on strengthening Qatar-EU cooperation and addressing regional and global developments, including the Gaza Strip, Palestinian territories, Syria, Yemen, and the Russia-Ukraine war.
Tuesday, 20 May—Oman hosted the Omani-European Cooperation Forum on Energy and Water, bringing together experts, investors, and decision-makers to enhance collaboration with the European Union. The Forum was organised in partnership with the EU Delegation to Oman, Nama Group, and the EU-GCC Cooperation Project for Green Transition and aimed to promote green investment, exchange best practices, and establish a joint roadmap for sustainable infrastructure development and long-term cooperation in energy transition and water security.
Tuesday, 20 May—The EU Foreign Ministers agreed to lift all economic sanctions on Syria. However, individual sanctions targeting those inciting ethnic violence will be introduced, and some existing measures, such as those against the Assad regime and bans on the sale of weapons or equipment that could be used for internal repression, will remain in place.
Tuesday, 20 May—The EU Council adopted conclusions on Yemen, voicing deep concern over the deteriorating situation and condemning Houthi attacks on Red Sea shipping and Israel as threats to regional stability and global trade. It reaffirmed support for UN-led peace efforts, the internationally recognised Yemeni government, and continued humanitarian aid, while urging an end to external support and arms transfers to the Houthis and other non-state actors.
Key Official Visits & Contacts
Wednesday, 14 May—Bahrain’s Crown Prince and Prime Minister, Salman bin Hamad Al-Khalifa, received UK Minister of State for Investment, Baroness Gustafsson of Chesterton, to reaffirm the strong Bahrain-UK strategic partnership and ways to expand economic cooperation. Parallel discussions between Bahrain’s Minister of Industry and Commerce and the UK delegation focused on enhancing bilateral investment ties and highlighting Bahrain’s favourable investment climate and private sector opportunities.
Thursday, 15 May—Swiss State Secretary Martina Hirayama led a high-level science delegation to Saudi Arabia to enhance cooperation in innovation and research, particularly in fields such as AI, biotechnology, fintech, and renewable energy.
Friday, 16 May—US President Donald Trump concluded a Gulf tour encompassing Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the UAE. He signed a Strategic Economic Partnership with Saudi Arabia and secured major agreements and investment commitments, including $600 billion from Saudi Arabia, $243.5 billion from Qatar, and a $1.4 trillion UAE investment plan targeting technology, AI, and energy. The visit also featured agreements on defence—including a historic $142 billion arms deal with Saudi Arabia and Qatar’s pledge to invest $10 billion in the Al Udeid Air Base—regional security cooperation, and the announcement of lifting US sanctions on Syria following talks with Syrian leader Ahmad Al-Sharaa in Riyadh. Riyadh also hosted the US-GCC Summit, which reaffirmed their strategic partnership and addressed shared security concerns, including the US-Iran nuclear negotiations, Russia-Ukraine war and the Palestinian issue. For Qatar and the UAE it was the second US presidential visit.
Saturday, 17 May—Iraq’s Prime Minister, Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani, met with Qatar’s Emir, Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, the highest-ranking GCC representative at the 34th Arab League Summit in Baghdad, to discuss deepening bilateral cooperation. The Summit, marked by lower-level delegations, saw calls for unified regional action, Arab economic integration, and reconstruction, with broad support for President Trump’s lifting of sanctions on Syria and renewed backing for the Arab Peace Initiative. Guest attendee Spanish Prime Minister, Pedro Sánchez, urged increased pressure on Israel to end the war in Gaza.
Sunday, 18 May—Saudi Arabia and Türkiye agreed on 21 cooperation initiatives across diverse sectors, including defence industry, trade, healthcare, and tourism, during the 2nd Saudi-Turkish Coordination Council Meeting in Riyadh, co-chaired by Saudi Foreign Minister, Faisal bin Farhan Al-Saud, and his Turkish counterpart, Hakan Fidan. The Council highlighted joint efforts to promote regional stability and expanding economic ties, with bilateral trade reaching a record $7.9 billion in 2025 and a target of $10 billion set.
Sunday, 18 May—Saudi Arabia’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and Climate Affairs Envoy, Adel Al-Jubeir, and Saudi Ambassador to Italy, Faisal bin Sattam Al-Saud, attended Pope Leo XIV’s inauguration ceremony.
Sunday, 18 May—Qatar’s Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani, met in Tehran with the Foreign Ministers of Oman and Iran, Badr bin Hamad Al-Busaidi and Abbas Araghchi, as part of Oman’s mediation between Iran and the United States. He reaffirmed Qatar’s full support for the initiative, highlighting Doha’s commitment to regional security, stability and constructive dialogue. On the occasion, he also held talks with Iran’s President, Masoud Pezeshkian.
Monday, 19 May—Bahrain’s King, Hamad bin Isa Al-Khalifa, met UAE President, Mohammed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, in Abu Dhabi to reaffirm the strong Bahrain-UAE ties and discuss deepening cooperation on development and regional stability. The meeting, attended by senior officials, followed King Hamad’s visit to the United Kingdom, where he met King Charles III and attended the Royal Windsor Horse Show.
Monday, 19 May—President of Belarus, Alexander Lukashenko, received Oman’s Crown Prince, Theyazin bin Haitham Al-Said, in Minsk, reaffirming their commitment to strengthening bilateral relations, particularly in economic, trade, and investment sectors. The visit also saw the signing of an agreement to establish a joint committee aimed at boosting bilateral cooperation.
Tuesday, 20 May—Kuwaiti and Spanish officials held joint committee talks aimed at enhancing bilateral ties, focusing on trade, investment, and economic cooperation. Kuwaiti Finance Ministry Undersecretary, Aseel Al-Munaifi, and Spanish State Secretary for Trade, María Amparo López Senovilla, highlighted their shared commitment to deepening collaboration, overcoming investment challenges, and building on the tangible growth in relations, with emphasis on joint ventures and infrastructure projects. The Spanish official also met Kuwait’s Deputy Minister of Defence, Abdullah Meshal Al-Sabah, to discuss defence and security cooperation.