There is no voice in the Gulf, Arab and perhaps global street above the upcoming Gulf summit … with cautious optimism this time, the summit comes amid several challenges, perhaps the most prominent of which is the unification of the Gulf house itself, in addition to the challenge of the spread of the Corona epidemic, and the dramatic changes in the political and economic scenes.
The forty-first session of the Supreme Council of the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf, to be held in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on the fifth of January 2021 … is what observers of the Gulf and global scene call the special session … given the challenges that have arisen and are still prolonged … and perhaps the most prominent is the Gulf crisis.
Here are the main expected challenges:
1- The Gulf Crisis The Gulf crisis has
entered its fourth year, which has been described as the biggest crisis that struck the march of the Cooperation Council since its inception, in the killing … and threatening the unity of the Gulf home itself, amid the political and economic storms that blew over the region.
Observers believe that new changes have occurred in this file … as the recent Kuwaiti announcements regarding the dissolution of the file reflected the optimism of the Gulf street, whose social fabric was torn apart by that crisis ..
His Excellency Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, said last Wednesday that the State of Qatar affirms the unity of the Cooperation Council and that all crises must be resolved through direct, constructive dialogue.
His Excellency indicated that a breakthrough of the Gulf crisis occurred two weeks ago after the Kuwaiti statement regarding the crisis was issued .. His Excellency affirmed that Qatar considers the issue of Gulf security as a priority and escalation is not in the interest of any party, indicating that the discussions on the Gulf reconciliation were with Saudi Arabia only, but it represented the rest of the parties, He pointed out that: “There are no obstacles to solving the Gulf crisis at the political level.”
His Excellency also stressed: “We will all emerge victorious from this crisis if we rebuild confidence in the Cooperation Council as a regional institution,” and that “the peoples of the Gulf Cooperation Council countries are the biggest losers in the Gulf crisis.”
2- Corona pandemic
A number of observers believe that the other challenge facing the Gulf Cooperation Council countries is related to the effects of the Corona pandemic on the economies of the six countries, which in turn were affected by global economies and the closures that took place due to the pandemic.
They indicate the need for unified strategies for the economic and health confrontations, especially with the developments of the crisis, the emergence of new strains of the virus, and the start of obtaining vaccines in the GCC countries.
3- The new American scene
Among the challenges facing the Gulf scene is the challenge on the other side of the White House, between a president whose term has expired, whose administration wants to end its term with political success represented in the unification of the Gulf house, and between a new president of the United States waiting for the same Gulf gift.
Observers believe that the old and new US administration wants a new Gulf page free of any differences, amid the challenges facing the Middle East region in general.
The Qatari position on the US-Iranian tension… Which is the most inflammatory file near the Gulf House indicates the necessity of calm and resolving any crisis through dialogue … and a number of those following this file are optimistic about the recent contacts between His Excellency Sheikh Muhammad bin Abdul Rahman Al Thani, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, which took place With US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, and HE Dr. Muhammad Javad Zarif, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Iran.
4- The region’s crises
Observers see the need for Gulf strategies towards the region’s crises, as they note the constants, differences and developments in dealing with the region’s files that took place far away from a unified Gulf home.
5- Joint Gulf projects The Gulf
crisis that has erupted since 2017 has not only stopped the joint projects, but with the spread of the Corona pandemic, economic and service projects have stopped … and
with the difference in the global scene and its repercussions on the region … Gulfs see that there is no way out of the bottleneck except with unity and moving forward In providing a better life for the Gulf citizen.
