New York, September 25 (QNA) - Secretary General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi underscored the critical importance of advancing strategic cooperation and partnership between GCC member states and European nations to support regional and international security and stability, safeguard shared interests, and confront compounding regional challenges.

Albudaiwi's remarks were delivered during his participation in a panel session at the Europe-Gulf Forum, hosted by Antenna Group in partnership with the Atlantic Council, held with the attendance of several ministers and senior officials from GCC states and the European Union (EU), on the margins of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York.

During the session, Albudaiwi noted that GCC member states deeply value supportive European positions, stressing that the current landscape demands sustained coordination and cooperation. He highlighted key priorities, including safeguarding the security of GCC states, the safety of their peoples, and the protection of critical infrastructure, alongside reinforcing maritime security and guaranteeing the unimpeded flow of energy, global commerce, and supply chains.

In this regard, he underlined that the security of maritime corridors constitutes a shared imperative for both the GCC and European countries, given its direct bearing on international energy security and the stability of the global economy.

"The upcoming GCC-EU Summit, scheduled to convene next month (October 2026) in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, will impart significant momentum to bilateral relations," Albudaiwi indicated, expressing high expectations that the summit will deliver tangible outcomes and strategic recommendations that serve mutual interests and foster closer ties between both regions.

Concluding his address, Albudaiwi reaffirmed that the GCC and Europe are bound by enduring strategic interests, emphasising that the next phase calls for intensified joint action and high-impact, on-the-ground projects that reflect a genuine partnership and fulfill the aspirations of the peoples of the GCC and European nations. (QNA)