UAE Stresses Need for Unity at GCC-US Joint Ministerial Meeting

On behalf of His Highness Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Her Excellency Lana Nusseibeh, Minister of State, represented the United Arab Emirates at a Joint Ministerial Meeting of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and the United States.  The meeting was hosted by H.E. Dr. Abdullatif Al Zayani, Foreign Minister of the Kingdom of Bahrain, which holds the rotating presidency of the GCC. The United States was represented by Secretary of State Marco Rubio. 

During the meeting, participants discussed current developments in the region, including Iran’s hostile attacks on GCC member states and its illegal closure of the Strait of Hormuz, and welcomed the US-Iran Memorandum of Understanding as the first step towards regional de-escalation.

The meeting highlighted the enduring US commitment to GCC security, the US-GCC Strategic Partnership, and the path forward for regional stability.  H.E. Nusseibeh also underlined the critical importance of close consultation between the US and Gulf partners and welcomed continued consultation with the US. Her Excellency said: “Gulf consultation, inclusion and participation is a necessary condition in the coming period. Our countries have lived with the consequences of Iran’s hostile attacks. Any solution designed to deliver lasting security will be strongest when it reflects the perspectives of those whose security is most immediately affected.”

H.E. Nusseibeh  emphasized the need to ensure that international law and freedom of navigation are safeguarded and that the Strait of Hormuz remains open, secure and free from economic coercion, stressing that actions which undermine maritime security and impede the free flow of commerce represent acts of piracy and constitute a direct threat to regional stability, the wellbeing of its peoples, and global energy security. Her Excellency also highlighted that the international community should not allow Iran to profit from its illegal activity in the Strait.

On Lebanon, Her Excellency underscored the need to support the Lebanese Government, Lebanese Armed Forces and the people of Lebanon in achieving security, stability and development. Furthermore, Her Excellency highlighted the importance of supporting Syria’s inclusive political transition and mobilizing international institutions and the private sector in support of Syria’s reconstruction and expressed the UAE’s solidarity with the Syrian people and support for all endeavors aimed at fulfilling their aspirations for peaceful coexistence and development. On the Occupied Palestinian Territory, Her Excellency emphasized the need to fully implement Security Council resolution 2803 and support the Board of Peace in Gaza, reiterating the UAE’s consistent position on the need to establish a credible political horizon toward resolving the Palestinian- Israeli conflict based on the two-state solution that achieves the aspirations of the Palestinian people to establish an independent sovereign Palestinian state.

The meeting’s full outcomes are reflected in a Ministerial Joint Statement [hyperlink].