5 Top Points
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Saudi launches mega-project in Makkah: Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman announced the ‘King Salman Gate’ development (15 October), a 12 million m² expansion adjacent to the Grand Mosque in Makkah. It is expected to create over 300,000 jobs by 2036 and compliments Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 drive to diversify the economy and modernise holy city facilities.
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Qatar’s Emir condemns Israeli violations: Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani used the opening of Qatar’s Shura Council (21 October) to denounce Israel’s ‘continuous violations’ of the 11-day-old Gaza ceasefire. As a key mediator in the truce, Qatar’s ruler urged international accountability for alleged Israeli breaches.
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Bahrain-Saudi integration gathers pace: High-level talks in Manama (15 October) underlined that Bahrain and Saudi Arabia have moved beyond coordination to full integration in vital sectors like transport and logistics. Bahrain’s Deputy Prime Minister Shaikh Khalid bin Abdulla Al Khalifa and Saudi Deputy Transport Minister Rumaih Al-Rumaih reviewed joint infrastructure projects that will serve as strategic trade corridors.
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Oman’s quiet diplomacy aids Yemen: Oman helped resolve a crisis involving UN personnel in Yemen, drawing praise from UN Secretary-General António Guterres (20 October). Muscat’s mediation secured the release of several UN staff detained by Houthi authorities, reflecting Oman’s role as a trusted regional go-between.
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EU backs Gaza truce, holds sanctions threat: EU foreign ministers met (20 October) and welcomed the Gaza ceasefire’s implementation but warned it remains fragile. High Representative Kaja Kallas praised Gulf states’ mediation and confirmed the EU stands ready to support Gaza’s governance and reconstruction.
‘Round and About the Gulf’
Kingdom of Bahrain
Wednesday, 15 October – Bahrain’s Deputy Prime Minister Shaikh Khalid bin Abdulla Al Khalifa received Saudi Deputy Transport Minister Rumaih Al-Rumaih in Manama for talks on transport and logistics integration. Shaikh Khalid stated that Bahrain and Saudi Arabia are transitioning from coordination to full-fledged integration in these sectors. The meeting highlighted new and planned land and maritime linkage projects (including the King Hamad Causeway) as a strategic corridor bolstering the two economies, facilitating trade and travel, and advancing Bahrain’s Economic Vision 2030 alongside Saudi Vision 2030.
State of Kuwait
Wednesday, 15 October – Kuwait Red Crescent Society announced that 15 Kuwaiti aid trucks entered the Gaza Strip through the Kerem Shalom crossing, in coordination with Egypt. Two more Kuwaiti relief trucks were scheduled the next day, bringing the total to 17 trucks delivered under the ceasefire. These shipments carried food and essential supplies, drawn from Kuwait’s ongoing humanitarian air bridge, including 15 Air Force flights to Egypt so far, totalling roughly 360 tonnes of aid.
Sultanate of Oman
Monday, 20 October – Foreign Minister Sayyid Badr Albusaidi held a telephone conversation with UN Secretary-General António Guterres to discuss developments in Yemen and Gaza. Guterres expressed deep appreciation for Oman’s diplomatic efforts that led to resolving the situation of several UN employees detained in Yemen, praising Sultan Haitham’s humanitarian role in supporting peace. Muscat’s successful mediation in Yemen, aiding the release of UN staff and easing Houthi-related tensions, was hailed as a model of Oman’s quiet diplomacy in regional conflicts.
Tuesday, 21 October – Oman formally announced that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan will pay a state visit to Muscat (22 October). The visit (the first by a Turkish head of state since Sultan Haitham’s accession) is expected to focus on strengthening Oman-Turkey economic ties and defence cooperation, as well as consultations on regional issues including the Gaza situation and Syrian and Yemeni peace efforts. Omani officials framed the invitation as part of the Sultanate’s strategy to broaden strategic partnerships beyond the GCC while contributing to Middle East stability.
State of Qatar
Tuesday, 21 October – Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani opened the new session of Qatar’s Shura Council with a far-reaching speech on regional affairs. He strongly condemned Israel’s ‘continued violation’ of the Gaza ceasefire, accusing Israeli forces of breaching the truce through ongoing aggression against Palestinians. The Emir described the devastation in Gaza as evidence of genocide and stressed that Qatar, as a mediator of the truce, will hold Israel accountable through international channels.
Friday, 17 October – Qatar transferred an additional batch of fuel to Gaza as part of its ceasefire commitments. Qatar’s Gaza Reconstruction Committee confirmed that five million litres of diesel were delivered via Egypt to help restart Gaza’s power plants and water desalination facilities. This fuel aid, part of the 30 million litres pledged by Doha (doubling its pre-war support), comes amid efforts to stabilise daily life in Gaza.
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Wednesday, 15 October – Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman launched the King Salman Gate project in Makkah, a significant redevelopment plan aimed at upgrading the vicinity of the Grand Mosque. The project will feature new residential, commercial and cultural facilities and nearly one million additional prayer spaces for pilgrims, designed to ease access to Al-Masjid Al-Haram, and preserve heritage sites around Makkah’s holy precinct. Officials said the project, led by the PIF-backed Rua Al Haram Al Makki Company, will integrate modern urban planning with traditional Islamic architecture.
Sunday, 19 October – The Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs welcomed international pledges toward Gaza’s reconstruction and relief. A spokesperson affirmed that Saudi Arabia, as a leading regional donor, is coordinating with Egypt, the EU and the US on plans to rebuild Gaza’s devastated infrastructure once a permanent peace is secured.
United Arab Emirates
Tuesday, 21 October – The UAE participated in the G20 Energy Transitions Ministerial Meeting held in Cape Town, South Africa, with Sharif Al Olama, Undersecretary at the Ministry of Energy, heading the Emirati delegation. The UAE highlighted its investments in clean energy and innovation, noting that its Barakah nuclear plant now supplies a quarter of domestic power and the new National Hydrogen Strategy aims to make the UAE a top exporter of low-carbon hydrogen. Emirati officials also invited partners to the upcoming UN Water Conference (co-hosted by the UAE in 2026), linking water and energy security.
EU Corner
EU institutions intensified their engagement on Middle East issues during the week. Meeting in Luxembourg (20 October), the EU Foreign Affairs Council (FAC) focused on Gaza’s fragile ceasefire. They commended the US and Gulf countries for mediating the truce and noted that nearly one thousand aid trucks have now entered Gaza under the agreement. Ministers agreed the EU must put its full weight behind post-conflict stabilisation, discussing plans to bolster Palestinian governance and funnel additional reconstruction aid to Gaza in coordination with regional partners. The EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs, Kaja Kallas, confirmed that the EU Border Assistance Mission is on standby to redeploy to the Rafah crossing to help monitor humanitarian flows if needed.
At FAC, EU ministers also debated the European Commission’s proposed sanctions in response to Israel’s earlier actions in Gaza. With violence subsiding, the Council refrained from immediate sanctions implementation, but underscored that the threat of EU measures has not been lifted. The EU collectively urged Israel to facilitate unimpeded relief access and uphold its ceasefire commitments, warning that any backsliding could revive calls within Europe to impose trade penalties or asset freezes.
Key Official Visits & Contacts
Monday, 20 October (Muscat) – Omani Foreign Minister Sayyid Badr Albusaidi spoke by telephone with UN Secretary-General António Guterres. They discussed the Yemen peace process and the humanitarian situation in Gaza. Guterres thanked Oman for its crucial mediation that secured the release of UN staff held by Houthi authorities, and he praised Sultan Haitham’s leadership in promoting dialogue.
Tuesday, 21 October (Abu Dhabi) – UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan met with Slovakia’s Prime Minister Robert Fico, who was on an official visit to the Emirates. The two leaders conferred on strengthening UAE-Slovakia relations, focusing on trade and investment opportunities as well as cooperation in renewable energy and technology.
Tuesday, 21 October (Brussels) – The EU and the GCC held a senior officials’ meeting to follow up on their ministerial dialogue earlier in the month. EU External Action Service envoys and the GCC Secretariat’s team reviewed progress on initiatives launched at the EU-GCC Joint Council (5-6 October), particularly in energy cooperation and maritime security. They discussed scheduling the first meeting of a new joint working group on counter-terrorism and touched on preparations for an eventual second EU-GCC leaders’ summit.