Gulf states are focused on finalising a joint defensive air shield “in the near future”, GCC Secretary General Jasem Al Budaiwi said on Tuesday.
Speaking in Bahrain on the eve of the 46th Gulf Co-operation Council summit, Mr Al Budaiwi said the meeting is “extremely important” given the unprecedented attacks on Qatar earlier this year by Iran and Israel.
Mr Al Budaiwi said the unified Gulf response to the incidents showed the bloc’s cohesion, repeating that “we are one voice and one position” and “our foreign policy is unified”.
He added that the GCC’s priority is completing its long-discussed regional air defence network in light of the unprecedented attacks.
“What matters most, and what we hope to complete, is the joint defence shield that we are working on with our partners. There are technical matters involved, but God willing, we will reach this goal in the near future,” he told reporters.
The GCC Secretary General explained that the timing of the summit is critical. The last ordinary meeting was in December 2024, in Kuwait, and since then the Middle East has entered “a completely different phase”, from the Gaza ceasefire, to the Iran–Israel war and the attacks on Qatar.
The first Qatar attack involved an Iranian missile strike on the Al Udeid US base. Weeks later, Israel carried out a strike on a Hamas meeting in Doha. The two attacks underscored the need for a unified Gulf defensive posture.
In the aftermath, Qatar moved to strengthen its external security umbrella, announcing an expanded defence agreement with the US covering bases, co-ordination and training.
Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed, Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of the Presidential Court, will lead the UAE's delegation at the summit.
Energy and trade
Mr Al Budaiwi also highlighted expanding regional energy integration, including exporting electricity to Arab countries suffering shortages.
The GCC has begun linking southern Iraq to the Gulf electricity grid through Kuwait. Baghdad expects the first 500 megawatts of Gulf electricity at the beginning of 2026, followed by 1,000 megawatts and eventually 2,000 megawatts.
The Secretary General said the project is strategic and profitable. “This will open the door for us to provide other Arab states with electricity,” he said.
Many countries in the region, including Syria and Lebanon, face severe electricity shortages and could eventually benefit from Gulf power exports.
Mr Al Budaiwi also announced that the GCC is in the final stages of completing trade agreements with New Zealand and South Korea, part of a broader effort to diversify partnerships and expand economic influence beyond the Middle East.
This year’s GCC summit will also carry symbolic diplomatic weight. Sultan Haitham of Oman is expected to attend, the first time an Omani Sultan has taken part in a GCC summit in person since Sultan Qaboos in 2011.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni is also expected to participate and deliver a speech focused on EU-GCC relations at the invitation of Bahrain's King Hamad.
