5 Top Points
- The Global Alliance the Implementation of the Two-State Solution held its first meeting in Riyadh.
- The GCC and New Zealand concluded a free trade agreement.
- Iraq, Qatar, Türkiye and the UAE discussed the Development Road Project in Baghdad.
- Defence Ministers of Saudi Arabia and Iraq signed a military cooperation agreement.
- Kuwait hosted a conference on international counter-terrorism cooperation.
‘Round and About the Gulf’
Kingdom of Bahrain
Monday, 4 November—Organised by Bahrain’s Economic Development Board (EDB), the Gateway Gulf 2024 Forum, concluded with deals and announcements surpassing $12 billion (approximately €11 billion). The forum had 250 participants, including government officials, ministers, and business leaders that explored trade growth and investment opportunities in non-oil sectors in Bahrain and the wider GCC region.
State of Kuwait
Monday, 4 November—Kuwait hosted the Fourth Dushanbe Conference under the title ‘Strengthening International Counter-Terrorism Cooperation and Building Agile Border Security Mechanism-The Kuwait Phase of the Dushanbe Process’. The conference aimed to strengthen regional and international cooperation on combating terrorism and border security. More than 450 participants and 33 ministers from member states were in attendance, including Kuwait’s Crown Prince, Sabah Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah, and Under-Secretary-General of the UN Office of Counter-Terrorism, Vladimir Voronkov.
Sultanate of Oman
Thursday, 31 October—The Ministry of Transport, Communications, and Information Technology, represented by Oman National Computer Emergency Readiness Team (OCERT), made a partnership with the University of Technology and Applied Sciences (UTAS) and launched the Hadatha Centre for Cybersecurity Industry. The Centre aims to strengthen the outputs of the National Program for Cybersecurity Industry through information management, research, and innovative cybersecurity products and services.
State of Qatar
Tuesday, 5 November—The polls opened for the referendum on the draft constitutional amendments that would abolish elections for the Shura Council and reinstate the system of the Council members being appointed by the Emir, Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani.
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Monday, 4 November—Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Interior, Abdulaziz bin Saud Al-Saud, inaugurated a new digital transformation project aimed at enhancing the Kingdom’s security capabilities. The project involves developing new administrative systems, implementing AI technologies, and deploying ‘smart patrols’, using new tracking and monitoring equipment, security documentation tools, and drones to strengthen their abilities.
United Arab Emirates
Tuesday, 5 November—The Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) and the Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company (Masdar) announced the signing of a Strategic Collaboration Agreement with Microsoft. Masdar, and its major shareholder ADNOC, will pursue powering Microsoft’s data centres with renewable energy and apply AI to a wide range of initiatives to reduce carbon-emissions in the UAE and globally. These initiatives include carbon capture and storage projects, low ammonia and hydrogen projects, and driving methane reductions.
Monday, 4 November—The Minister of Energy and Infrastructure, Suhail Mohamed Faraj Al-Mazrouei, announced the UAE’s plans to invest up to $55 billion (around €50.3 billion) over the next six years to meet sustainable energy demand. This aligns with the UAE’s goal to reach net-zero carbon emissions by 2050 as well as the goal to diversify the economy away from oil.
EU Corner
Wednesday, 30 October—The EU Special Representative for the Middle East Peace Process, Sven Koopmans, attended the first meeting of the Global Alliance for the Implementation of the Two State Solution in Riyadh, along with representatives from 88 states and organisations, including the UAE, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia.
Thursday, 31 October—Saudi Arabia’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Member of the Council of Ministers, and Envoy for Climate, Adel Al-Jubeir, met with the EU Special Representative for the Gulf Region, Luigi Di Maio, on the sidelines of the 8th Future Investment Initiative Forum in Riyadh.
Monday, 4 November—The EU Special Representative for Central Asia, Terhi Hakala, spoke at the 4th Dushanbe Process Conference ‘Strengthening International Counter-Terrorism Cooperation and Building Agile Border Security Mechanisms’ in Kuwait City.
Tuesday, 5 November—At the European Parliament, the Ambassador of Qatar to the EU and NATO, Abdulaziz bin Ahmed Al-Malki, met with the Chair of the Delegation for Relations with the Arab Peninsula, Reinhold Lopatka, to discuss bolstering Qatari-EU relations.
Key Official Visits& Contacts
Wednesday, 30 October—Qatar’s Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani, held a phone call with Iran’s Foreign Minister, Abbas Araghchi, discussing ways to enhance their bilateral relations as well as avenues towards securing a truce in Gaza and Lebanon.
Wednesday, 30 October—The Director of Political Affairs at Ireland’s Foreign Ministry, Gerard Keown, and Saudi Arabia’s Deputy Minister of the Foreign Ministry for Political Affairs, Saud bin Mohammed Al-Sati, met in Riyadh and signed a memorandum of understanding on political consultations between the two countries’ Foreign Ministries.
Thursday, 31 October—The GCC and New Zealand finalised a free trade agreement to strengthen economic and trade relations. The move came on the sidelines of the 67th meeting of the GCC Trade Cooperation Committee in Doha that included a meeting with New Zealand’s Trade Minister, Todd McClay. The GCC Trade Committee Members also met with UK Trade Minister, Jonathan Reynolds, and committed to speeding up the free trade negotiations with the UK.
Thursday, 31 October—Qatar’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of State for Defence Affairs, Khalid bin Mohammed Al-Attiyah, met with Türkiye’s Minister of National Defence, Yasar Güler, in Doha to discuss topics of mutual interest and enhancement of their bilateral defence ties.
Thursday, 31 October—UAE’s Energy and Infrastructure Minister, Suhail Bin Faris Al-Mazrouei, Qatar’s Transport and Communications Minister, Jassim Saif Al-Sulaiti, Türkiye’s Transport and Infrastructure Minister, Abdulkadir Uraloglu, and Iraq’s Transport Minister, Razzaq Muhaybis Al-Saadawi, met in Baghdad to discuss the Development Road Project.
Friday, 1 November—Qatar’s Emir, Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, held a phone call with the United Kingdom’s Prime Minister, Keir Starmer. They discussed bilateral relations and efforts towards securing ceasefires in the ongoing conflicts in the Middle East.
Sunday, 3 November—The President of Tajikistan, Emomali Rahmon, met with Kuwait’s Emir, Mishal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, and Crown Prince, Sabah Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah, to strengthen bilateral relations. During the President’s visit to Kuwait, several agreements and memoranda of understanding were signed, concerning cooperation in labour exchange in the private sector, trade, industry, tourism, communications, and diplomatic training.
Monday, 4 November—Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Faisal bin Farhan Al-Saud, met with Moldova’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mihai Popsoi, in Riyadh.
Tuesday, 5 November—Kuwait’s Acting Prime Minister, Minister of Defence, and Minister of Interior, Fahad Saud Al-Sabah, met with Iraqi National Security Advisor, Qasim Al-Araji, to enhance bilateral relations in the security sector.
Tuesday, 5 November—Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Defence, Khalid bin Salman Al-Saud, hosted his Iraqi counterpart in Riyadh. They discussed topics of mutual interest and regional de-escalation. The discussions resulted in a memorandum of understanding solidifying their military cooperation.