Jakarta: The Council of Ambassadors of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and the Committee of Permanent Representatives to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) convened a pivotal meeting in Jakarta, chaired by the Kuwaiti Ambassador to Indonesia, Khaled Jassem Al-Yassin. This gathering, held at the headquarters of ASEAN's General Secretariat, was part of efforts to bolster Gulf-Asian collaboration.
According to Kuwait News Agency, Ambassador Al-Yassin emphasized the crucial role of the partnership between GCC and ASEAN in fostering stability and growth in their respective regions. He highlighted the significance of the Gulf Council's achievements and strategic projects in recent years, such as the Gulf electrical interconnection network, the Gulf railway, the Gulf customs union, and the unified Gulf visa, all of which reflect the shared vision of economic and social integration among member states.
Ambassador Al-Yassin noted that this was the second meeting of its kind between the two organizations, focusing on the implementation progress of the ASEAN-GCC Cooperation Framework for 2024-2028. He underscored the commitment of both parties to continue their joint efforts to activate the agreement's provisions and enhance cooperation across political, economic, and social domains.
Participants at the meeting underscored the importance of advancing the strategic partnership between the GCC and ASEAN, exploring avenues for increased cooperation to benefit both regional groups, and contributing to regional and international security, peace, and prosperity.
Concluding the meeting, the attendees expressed optimism about continued coordination between the two sides, in line with their shared vision for the future of Gulf-Asian relations and in response to international developments and the interests of the member states. Notably, the combined population of the two groups exceeds 740 million people, with a collective national product of approximately 6 trillion US dollars.