5 Top Points
- Oman-Spain Strategic Partnership: Oman’s Sultan Haitham bin Tarik paid a state visit to Spain, during which Muscat and Madrid deepened ties by signing four key memoranda of understanding on green energy, liquefied natural gas, water management, and trade cooperation.
- Manama Security Dialogue: Bahrain hosted the 21st IISS Manama Dialogue (31 October – 2 November), convening over 700 officials, policymakers and experts from 65 countries to address Middle East security challenges.
- Gulf Humanitarian Push for Gaza: Gulf states ramped up relief efforts for the war-torn Gaza Strip in the wake of the ceasefire. Saudi Arabia dispatched new aid convoys via Egypt’s Rafah crossing, laden with food parcels, baby formula and medical supplies.
- Trilateral Security Cooperation: In a first, the UK participated alongside Bahrain and the US in the annual C-SIPA Defence Working Group meeting, held in Manama (1 November). The inclusion of the UK formally transformed the Bahrain-US bilateral security framework into a trilateral partnership, reflecting a united front against shared threats.
- Euro-Gulf Engagement Intensifies: The EU stepped up its diplomatic engagement in the Gulf. Germany’s Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul toured the region, including attending the Manama Dialogue, to coordinate on Gaza and other crises.
‘Round and About the Gulf’
Kingdom of Bahrain
Wednesday, 29 October – Manama and London reinforced defence ties as Lieutenant-General Abdullah bin Hassan Al Nuaimi, Bahrain’s Minister of Defence Affairs, chaired the 30th meeting of the Bahrain-UK Joint Military Committee. The talks reviewed military cooperation and progress on joint initiatives, underlining the continuing strategic importance of the UK-Bahrain defence partnership.
Saturday, 1 November – Bahrain hosted a meeting of the Comprehensive Security Integration and Prosperity Agreement (C-SIPA) Defence Working Group, with the UK joining Bahrain and the US for the first time. Convened on the sidelines of the Manama Dialogue, the trilateral session, attended by UK Ambassador Alastair Long and senior Bahraini and US defence officials, focused on enhancing joint security coordination in light of conflicts in Gaza and Yemen.
Sunday, 2 November – The 21st IISS Manama Dialogue concluded in Bahrain, after three days of high-level debates on regional security. In his closing address, IISS Director-General Bastian Giegerich noted the forum brought together over 700 delegates from 65 countries. Bahraini officials highlighted that the conference facilitated over 100 bilateral meetings on the sidelines.
State of Kuwait
Thursday, 30 October – Kuwait reaffirmed its regional diplomacy with a visit from Egypt’s Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly. Kuwaiti Prime Minister HH Sheikh Ahmad Al-Abdullah Al-Sabah received Madbouly in Kuwait City for talks on cementing economic and investment ties. The leaders reviewed opportunities for Kuwaiti-Egyptian cooperation in development projects and trade, while also discussing regional stability issues.
Sultanate of Oman
Tuesday, 4 November – His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik began a state visit to Spain, marking a new chapter in Oman-Spain relations. In Madrid, Spain’s King Felipe VI welcomed Sultan Haitham with full honours, and the two leaders held talks focused on expanding economic and strategic cooperation. Omani and Spanish officials signed four major memoranda of understanding, covering green hydrogen and methanol, LNG supply, water management, and trade promotion.
Sunday, 2 November – Oman enhanced its international security engagement as Sheikh Khalifa Alharthy, Undersecretary for Diplomatic Affairs, met NATO’s Special Representative for the Caucasus and Central Asia in Muscat. The discussions reviewed cooperation between Oman and the NATO alliance, particularly in areas of maritime security and counter-terrorism.
State of Qatar
Saturday, 1 November – Qatar delivered a new tranche of humanitarian aid to Gaza as part of its ongoing relief airlift. Shipments of medical supplies and food funded by Qatar arrived in Al-Arish and were transferred via the Rafah crossing to Gaza’s hospitals and UN distribution centres. Qatar’s Gaza Reconstruction Committee confirmed that over 50 tonnes of aid were sent this week, including generators and fuel to mitigate the Strip’s energy crisis.
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Wednesday, 29 October – In Riyadh, Saudi Arabia hosted an international meeting to advance a political solution to the Israel-Palestine conflict. Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud conferred with foreign officials, including Norway’s envoy and the UN Special Coordinator – building on the newly launched ‘Global Alliance for the Two-State Solution.’ The follow-up consultations in Riyadh stressed capitalising on the Gaza ceasefire momentum to revive direct negotiations. Prince Faisal affirmed the Kingdom’s stance that an independent Palestinian state on 1967 lines, with East Jerusalem as its capital, remains the non-negotiable core of any lasting peace.
United Arab Emirates
Friday, 31 October – The UAE’s economy ministry announced the conclusion of the UAE-Africa Investment Summit 2025, hosted in Dubai (30-31 October). The summit highlighted the UAE’s growing economic footprint in Africa, with Emirati officials unveiling new investments in African renewable energy and logistics projects. Over 15 cooperation agreements were signed with various African states, aligning with Abu Dhabi’s strategy to position itself as a gateway for Gulf investment into Africa. The UAE Minister of Economy heralded the summit outcomes as reinforcing South–South economic ties and supporting Africa’s development, noting that UAE-Africa trade has surged and is projected to exceed 100 billion USD this year.
Tuesday, 4 November – The UAE signalled an escalation of its humanitarian assistance to Gaza. In a briefing, the UAE’s special envoy to Gaza announced that Abu Dhabi will ‘significantly scale up’ the delivery of relief supplies to the enclave. The UAE has been using Cyprus as a logistics hub for aid flights, with shipments then ferried by sea to Gaza’s vicinity. This week, additional UAE-funded aid – including hundreds of generators, water filtration units and medical kits was staged in Limassol for onward transport.
EU Corner
Kuwait prepared to host a landmark gathering with its European partners, underscoring deepening Euro-Gulf ties. Kuwaiti officials finalised arrangements for the 29th GCC-EU Joint Council and the 9th EU-GCC Business Forum, scheduled in Kuwait City (5-6 November). EU Trade Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič affirmed the EU’s commitment to a ‘long-term trade and investment partnership’ with the GCC, highlighting ongoing efforts to advance a comprehensive EU-GCC free trade agreement.
On Middle East diplomacy, the EU redoubled its support for peace efforts. European Council President António Costa used the Sharm El Sheikh peace summit to announce the EU’s readiness to actively partake in Gaza’s reconstruction and governance following the ceasefire. Costa confirmed that the EU will expand humanitarian aid deliveries to Gaza ’as soon as conditions allow’ and is prepared to deploy its existing missions (such as the EUBAM Rafah border mission and police training teams) to assist with Gaza’s stabilisation and security. Brussels also backed the establishment of an International Peace Board to oversee Gaza’s recovery, aligning with the US-led comprehensive peace plan.
Key Official Visits & Contacts
Tuesday, Wednesday, 4-5 November (Madrid) – Sultan Haitham bin Tarik’s state visit to Spain marked a historic high-level contact between Oman and a EU country. Sultan Haitham met King Felipe VI and Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez in Madrid, discussing ways to strengthen political and economic cooperation.
Thursday, 30 October – Monday, 3 November (Jordan, Syria, Lebanon and Bahrain) – Germany’s Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul undertook a multi-country trip that included stops in Jordan, Syria, Lebanon and Bahrain. In Bahrain on 2 November, Wadephul attended the Manama Dialogue and held bilateral meetings with Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan and Omani Foreign Minister Sayyid Badr Al-Busaidi. Talks focused on consolidating the Gaza ceasefire’s gains and coordinating humanitarian and reconstruction assistance.
Thursday, 30 October (Kuwait City) – Kuwait’s Prime Minister HH Sheikh Ahmad Al-Abdullah Al-Sabah held talks in Kuwait City with his Egyptian counterpart Mostafa Madbouly. The meeting, part of Madbouly’s Gulf tour, resulted in agreements to boost bilateral trade and investment cooperation. Both premiers discussed joint projects in infrastructure and petrochemicals, and Kuwait affirmed its support for Egypt’s economic reform programme.
Wednesday, 29 October – The Foreign Minister of The Gambia, Mamadou Tangara, held separate telephone calls with Bahrain’s Foreign Minister Abdullatif Al Zayani and Kuwait’s Foreign Minister Sheikh Salem Al Sabah. The discussions focused on enhancing bilateral cooperation and sharing perspectives on Islamic solidarity and development. Both Bahrain and Kuwait expressed support for Gambia’s initiatives in education and agriculture, and invited Tangara for future visits to deepen collaboration.
Wednesday, 29 October (Riyadh) – UK Chancellor Rachel Reeves led a major delegation to Riyadh’s Future Investment Initiative conference, declaring a strengthened UK-Saudi economic partnership ‘a top priority’. She announced new UK support for Saudi megaprojects and highlighted 10 billion GBP in recent two-way trade and investment, and signalled plans to accelerate a UK-GCC free-trade agreement.