Davos: Secretary General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Jassim Al-Budaiwi affirmed that the GCC and ASEAN countries share strong bilateral relations on multiple levels. This statement was made during his participation in a roundtable entitled "ASEAN's Journey Towards Unity: Lessons in Diplomacy and Regional Cooperation," hosted by the ASEAN organization in Davos, Switzerland, alongside the 55th Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum (WEF) 2025.
According to Kuwait News Agency, Al-Budaiwi described the relationship between the GCC and ASEAN as successful, having developed over time. He referred to the recent summit in 2023, where leaders from both regions expressed a desire to enhance relations, as evidenced by the final statement of the summit.
Al-Budaiwi attributed the continuity and enhancement of this relationship to several factors, including shared interests at the time of both organizations' founding, opportunities to boost economy and trade, and the bilateral relations among member states.
The GCC Chief also praised ASEAN as a model for regional cooperation, economic growth, and diplomatic stability. He commended its diplomatic approach and multilateral cooperation in promoting unity amid regional and global diversity.