RIYADH, Oct 20 — Leaders of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) have agreed to hold the Asean-GCC Summit every two years, with the next summit in Malaysia in 2025.
The leaders agreed upon this matter during today’s inaugural summit in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, according to a joint statement issued following the summit.
They affirmed their commitment to strengthening their ties on both multilateral and bilateral levels and deepening cooperation in various sectors of mutual interests.
These include peace and security, exploring cooperation in economy and trade, education, sports, and people-to-people relations.
The statement, made available on the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) website, said leaders from both blocs, inspired by their common interests and deeply-rooted historical ties, discussed ways to upgrade and develop their partnership to take advantage of the growth opportunities.
They will undertake consultations and explore cooperation on specific areas of common interest to implement the four priority areas of Asean Outlook on the Indo-Pacific (AOIP), namely maritime cooperation, connectivity, Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), economic, and other possible areas of cooperation, where appropriate.
The leaders also declared to strengthen their ties at multilateral and bilateral levels and in global fora by pursuing opportunities for sustainable development, peace, security, and stability and navigating global and regional challenges and risks.
This is to ensure sustainable supply chains, transport interconnectivity and communications; to strengthen food, energy, and water security; and to build cooperation in green and renewable energy sources and technologies, tourism infrastructure, creating business opportunities, and boosting trade and investment flows.
The leaders also welcomed the Asean-GCC Framework of Cooperation (2024-2028), which outlines measures and cooperation activities to be jointly undertaken by Asean and the GCC in the areas of common interest and for mutual benefit, including political and security dialogue, trade and investment, people-to-people exchanges, education, culture, tourism, media, and sports.
Both sides will work to enhance trade and investment flows and to promote trade and investment relations between the GCC and Asean by enhancing public-private sector engagement and business-to-business relations between both regions, using available and new physical and online platforms, trade missions, exhibitions, seminars, conferences, and dialogues between their business representatives.
They also support both regions’ efforts toward a digitally-enabled economy that is open, secure, inclusive, and sustainable and to leverage ICT further to enable innovation and entrepreneurship, as well as new technological developments, including the Internet of Things, 5G Networks, Artificial Intelligence and smart cities.
The leaders also stressed the important role Asean and GCC countries can play in hosting major sporting events. They welcomed the candidacy of Saudi Arabia to host the 2034 Fifa World Cup.
They said it is both essential and urgent to promote joint action, including through the Asean Centre for Climate Change and similar GCC entities, in mitigating climate change and adapting to its impacts, protecting the environment and developing low carbon and clean energy technologies, such as renewables, energy efficiency and conservation, carbon abatement, and removal technologies.
— Bernama
