5 Top Points
- The GCC held Joint Ministerial Meetings for Strategic Dialogue with Brazil, India and Russia.
- Qatar’s Emir concluded his tour to Sweden, Norway and Finland to strengthen ties.
- The last unit of the UAE’s Barakah Nuclear Energy Plant began commercial operations.
- Germany’s Foreign Minister met with her Saudi counterpart in Riyadh to discuss Gaza and the Red Sea attacks.
- Hungary’s Foreign Minister travelled to Bahrain and Kuwait to enhance cooperation.
‘Round and About the Gulf’
Kingdom of Bahrain
T9 September—The King Hamad Global Centre for Peaceful Coexistence (KHGC) launched the Peaceful Coexistence Diploma in collaboration with the United Nations University for Peace (UPEACE) and Gioya Higher Education Institution (HEI) in Malta.
State of Kuwait
Sunday, 8 September—Kuwait’s Emir accepted resignation of Kuwait’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Oil, Emad Al-Atiqi, and appointed Finance Minister and Minister of State for Economic and Investment Affairs, Nora Al-Fassam, as an Acting Oil Minister.
Sultanate of Oman
Monday, 9 September—Oman’s state-owned oil and gas company, OQ, announced it will make an initial public offering of 25% of shares in its exploration and production arm, which could raise around $2 billion (approximately €1.8 billion).
State of Qatar
Wednesday, 5 September—Qatar, Kuwait and Jordan condemned the remarks by Israel’s Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, regarding weapons being smuggled to Hamas through the Egyptian border and his refusal to withdraw Israeli troops from the Philadelphi Corridor.
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Thursday, 5 September—Algeria, Iraq, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Oman, Russia, Saudi Arabia and the UAE agreed to extend their additional voluntary oil production cuts of 2.2 million barrels per day for two months until the end of November 2024.
Tuesday, 10 September—Riyadh hosted the 3rd Global AI Summit (GAIN Summit), organised by the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority (SDAIA), under the patronage of Mohammed bin Salman Al-Saud, Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince and Prime Minister and Chairman of the SDAIA’s Board of Directors.
United Arab Emirates
Wednesday, 4 September—The UAE unveiled its new 2024-2027 National Strategy for Anti-Money Laundering, Countering the Financing of Terrorism and Proliferation Financing. It addresses complex crimes and emerging risks, including trade-based money laundering, third-party laundering, intricate legal structures, and modern technological threats.
Thursday, 5 September—The Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation announced that the fourth (last) unit of the UAE’s Barakah Nuclear Energy Plant began commercial operations, marking the plant’s full delivery.
EU Corner
Wednesday, 4 September—Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Faisal bin Farhan Al-Saud, and the EU’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, reviewed the EU-Saudi and EU-Arab cooperation on several regional crises, including the Houthi attacks in the Red Sea and the Gaza war, over phone. Borrell also noted that further discussions would continue in Madrid on the occasion of the follow-up to the Riyadh conference on the Middle East Peace Process.
Wednesday, 4 September—The 32nd meeting of the EU-GCC Joint Cooperation Committee was held in Saudi Arabia.
Tuesday, 10 September—Bahrain’s Foreign Minister, Abdellatif bin Rashid Al-Zayan, and Kuwait’s Foreign Minister, Abdullah Al-Yahya, held separate meetings with the EU’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, on the sidelines of the 162nd session of the Arab League in Cairo.
Key Official Visits& Contacts
Wednesday, 4 September—Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Faisal bin Farhan Al-Saud, spoke to France’s Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, Stéphane Séjourné, over phone. The talks focused on strengthening the Saudi-French relations and the developments in the region, notably the Gaza Strip. Prince Faisal also spoke with Advisor to the French President, Anne-Claire Legendre.
Wednesday, 4 September—The UK and Kuwait agreed to jointly provide funding and development support in Yemen and Gaza Strip during the 21st Kuwait-British Joint Steering Group in London, co-chaired by Kuwait’s Deputy Foreign Minister, Jarrah Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, and UK Parliamentary Undersecretary of State at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, Hamish Falconer. Kuwait’s Deputy Foreign Minister also met with British Minister of State for Development, Anneliese Dodds.
Wednesday, 4 September—Hungary’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Péter Szijjártó, travelled to Bahrain and Kuwait in a bid to expand bilateral ties and cooperation. In Manama, he met with his Bahraini counterpart, Abdullatif bin Rashid Al-Zayani, and several other officials, to discuss ways to enhance bilateral cooperation in politics, economy, trade, education, youth, energy and development and witnessed the signing of an agreement to promote and protect investments. In Kuwait City, Szijjártó met with Foreign Minister, Abdullah Al-Yahya, and Minister of Finance, Nora Al-Fassam, and oversaw the signing of agreements on cooperation in cybersecurity, culture and diplomatic training.
Thursday, 5 September—Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Faisal bin Farhan Al-Saud, met with his German counterpart, Annalena Baerbock, in Riyadh. Baerbock began her regional trip that also included meetings with officials in Jordan, Israel and the West Bank aiming to discuss the Gaza war and the Yemeni Houthis’ attacks on international shipping in the Red Sea.
Thursday, 5 September—Qatar’s Emir, Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, met with Finland’s Prime Minister, Petteri Orpo, and President, Alexander Stubb, in Helsinki. The talks focused mainly on cooperation in investment, energy, education, in addition to regional and international issues of common interest, notably Gaza. Qatar and Finland signed three Memoranda of Understanding notably on conflict resolution, education and established the Joint Ministerial Committee for Economic, Commercial and Technical Cooperation. The visit concluded the Emir’s Nordic tour that also included Sweden and Norway.
Saturday, 7 September—The UK Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Affairs, David Lammy, conducted his first official visit to the UAE, where he held talks with the UAE Minister of Foreign Affairs, Abdullah bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, regarding ways to strengthen bilateral trade and investment ties, cooperation on clean energy and artificial intelligence, and coordination on regional security and humanitarian issues.
Sunday, 8 September—Oman’s Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Water Resources, Saud Hamoud Al-Habsi, held talks with Brazil’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mauro Vieira, in Muscat, on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of bilateral diplomatic relations. They explored opportunities to enhance economic and trade ties, namely in renewable energy and agriculture.
Monday, 9 September—Riyadh hosted the GCC Joint Ministerial Meetings for Strategic Dialogue with Russia (7th), India (1st) and Brazil (1st) attended by Foreign Ministers of the six GCC countries, the GCC Secretary-General, Jassim Mohammed Al-Budaiwi, Russia’s Sergei Lavrov, India’s Subrahmanyam Jaishankar and Brazil’s Mauro Vieir. On the occasion, Russia’s Foreign Minister invited Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister, Mohammed bin Salman Al-Saud, to attend the BRICS summit in Kazan between 22-24 October.
Tuesday, 10 September—Abu Dhabi’s Crown Prince, Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, travelled to India for the India-UAE Business Forum in Mumbai, aiming to explore trade, investment, and partnership opportunities. On the occasion, he met with India’s President, Droupadi Murmu, and Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, and witnessed the signing of several agreements in the energy field, notably a 15-year liquefied natural gas (LNG) supply deal, expansion of an existing oil storage agreement and the exchange of knowledge and expertise on nuclear energy development.
Tuesday, 10 September—During his visit to Germany, Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Investment, Khalid Al-Falih, met with several officials, including Christian Lindner, Germany’s Minister of Finance, Robert Habeck, Vice-Chancellor and Federal Minister for Economic Affairs and Climate Protection, and Jörg Kokez, Minister of State at the Federal Chancellery, to discuss opportunities to develop economic cooperation and explore investment opportunities.