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GCC-ASEAN Summit Boosts Economic, Development Ties

Leaders and delegation heads in a commemorative photo ahead of the GCC-ASEAN summit in Riyadh (SPA)
Leaders and delegation heads in a commemorative photo ahead of the GCC-ASEAN summit in Riyadh (SPA)
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GCC-ASEAN Summit Boosts Economic, Development Ties

Leaders and delegation heads in a commemorative photo ahead of the GCC-ASEAN summit in Riyadh (SPA)
Leaders and delegation heads in a commemorative photo ahead of the GCC-ASEAN summit in Riyadh (SPA)

The maiden summit held by the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) brought together leaders and representatives from 16 Gulf and Asian nations in Riyadh on Friday to inaugurate a 2024-2028 joint action plan.

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz stated that this plan “charts a clear roadmap for collective efforts to enhance cooperation and partnership in various domains, serving mutual interests.”

In remarks to Asharq Al-Awsat, experts and researchers acknowledged that the GCC-ASEAN summit accelerated common economic and developmental convergence between the nations of both bodies.

The policies of the participating nations have emphasized development and economics, along with the adoption of balanced political stances.

The GCC-ASEAN summit comes three months after a similar gathering that brought together GCC nations and Central Asian countries in Jeddah.

That summit was hosted by King Salman bin Abdulaziz and looked to enhance cooperation with the aim of activating strategic partnerships regionally and globally, benefiting the citizens of GCC countries and the broader region.

Observers believe that the GCC-ASEAN summit reflects the appreciation of the participating nations for Saudi Arabia’s regional and international significance.

King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman have both been keen to build a strategic partnership between GCC countries and the ASEAN, elevating coordination between them on matters of mutual interest.

This reflects the willingness of GCC countries, led by Saudi Arabia, to engage in partnerships with influential blocs in the international community.

The framework of mutual cooperation for the next five years outlines measures and activities to be carried out between the GCC and the ASEAN in various political, security, economic, and investment domains.

According to analysts and researchers, the common links, including the strategic position, economic progress, and shared objectives and aspirations, are the driving force behind this cooperation.

These objectives include accelerating economic growth, strengthening international investment partnerships, fostering cultural development, and promoting international peace and stability.

Ali Dabkhal Al-Anzi, a media professor at King Saud University, emphasized the significance of the meeting as part of Saudi Arabia’s and its GCC counterparts’ efforts to enhance their economic, political, and cultural options with different countries and blocs.

“The summit is of utmost importance in terms of timing and objectives, occurring at a time when the world is undergoing significant geopolitical changes on all levels,” Al-Anzi told Asharq Al-Awsat.

“This necessitates the diversification of options and the weaving of relationships between GCC countries and other political and economic blocs, including the ASEAN, which boasts a combined domestic product of approximately $5 trillion, rivaling the strongest economies in the Middle East region,” he added.

“Moreover, the summit enhances partnership opportunities, opens avenues for investment between the two parties, and has a positive impact on global economic stability,” noted Al-Anzi.

Indonesian researcher Abdullah Bouqas, who specializes in Southeast Asian affairs, anticipated that the two blocs will achieve further economic and investment convergence in the upcoming period.

This is particularly driven by the announcement of the cooperation framework for the coming four years, he explained.

Bouqas pointed out that this convergence might incentivize member states to maintain neutrality in geopolitical conflicts among major powers, prioritize their people’s interests, and promote economic growth by bolstering a multipolar system.

The researcher further clarified to Asharq Al-Awsat that ASEAN countries have demonstrated their ability to adapt to global economic contractions and recover swiftly from economic crises.

This has encouraged increased Gulf investments in the region in recent years, with a growing level of confidence in the Southeast Asian area.

“Given the polarization by major powers such as China and the US, the significance of this cooperation between the two blocs lies in the commonalities among member states in political, human rights, trade, and religious issues,” said Bouqas.

As for escalating violence in Gaza, the Saudi Crown Prince emphasized during the launch of the GCC-ASEAN summit an unequivocal rejection of any targeting of civilians in Gaza, regardless of the pretext.

He underscored the importance of adherence to international humanitarian law, the cessation of military operations, and the creation of conditions for stability and the achievement of lasting peace.

Such a peace, he noted, ensures a just resolution for the establishment of a Palestinian state within the 1967 borders, guaranteeing security and prosperity for all.

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How the Holy Sites Welcomed 122 Mn Visitors this Ramadan

The millions who visited the Grand Mosque reflect decades of dedicated effort and meticulous care (SPA)
The millions who visited the Grand Mosque reflect decades of dedicated effort and meticulous care (SPA)
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How the Holy Sites Welcomed 122 Mn Visitors this Ramadan

The millions who visited the Grand Mosque reflect decades of dedicated effort and meticulous care (SPA)
The millions who visited the Grand Mosque reflect decades of dedicated effort and meticulous care (SPA)

Following a highly successful 2025 Ramadan season (1446 AH), during which more than 122 million pilgrims and visitors were received at Islam’s two holiest sites, attention has turned to the factors behind this unprecedented achievement — and the decades of effort that made it possible.

The massive turnout at the Grand Mosque in Makkah is not a coincidence but the result of long-term planning and sustained investment.

Since the era of King Abdulaziz, the founder of modern Saudi Arabia, the Kingdom’s rulers have regarded their custodianship of the holy sites as a sacred duty.

Each monarch has contributed to the development and expansion of the holy cities, leaving behind a legacy that has shaped the pilgrim experience for generations.

Their commitment reflects Saudi Arabia’s role as guardian of Makkah and Madinah — the birthplace of Islam and the site of its most revered rituals — and underscores a national vision that places the service of pilgrims at the heart of state policy.

King Salman once summed it up succinctly: “The title of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques is a great honor and a tremendous responsibility.” His words reflect a legacy that dates back to the Kingdom’s founder, King Abdulaziz, who famously declared, “We, the Al Saud, are not merely kings — we are bearers of a message.”

That message - rooted in the spiritual and historical significance of Makkah and Madinah - has deeply shaped the outlook of Saudi Arabia’s monarchs. It has imbued their rule with a sense of purpose and legitimacy, reinforcing their unique role in the Muslim world and positioning them as leaders of the global Islamic community.

King Abdulaziz’s commitment to the Grand Mosque in Makkah went far beyond construction and infrastructure - it extended to the very heart of its religious, educational and administrative affairs.

His comprehensive vision reshaped the Haram into a unified spiritual and intellectual center for Muslims around the world.

Among his most transformative reforms was the unification of prayer leadership. For centuries, prayers at the Grand Mosque were held separately according to the four Islamic schools of thought - Shafi‘i, Hanafi, Maliki and Hanbali - each with its own imam and designated prayer space.

King Abdulaziz abolished this system, dismantled the physical markers that separated the sects, and instituted a single imam for all, reinforcing unity among worshippers.

He also revitalized the mosque’s scholarly tradition by appointing a dedicated committee to oversee education.

New regulations were introduced to improve the conditions of teachers and ensure instruction across all four Sunni schools of thought.

At its peak, the Grand Mosque hosted more than 120 learning circles, covering subjects such as Islamic jurisprudence, Arabic language, literature, logic — and even astronomy — in a variety of languages.

More than 700 teachers from different ethnic and sectarian backgrounds contributed to this intellectual revival, restoring the Haram’s historical role as one of the Islamic world’s earliest and most important centers of learning.

To streamline operations, King Abdulaziz also established an administrative council to oversee services and day-to-day management of the mosque, delegating maintenance and construction responsibilities to the Ministry of Endowments.

King Abdulaziz passed away before he could oversee the first major expansion of the Grand Mosque in Makkah, but his sons carried the vision forward, launching a strategic project that spanned nearly a quarter of a century.

This foundational expansion—supervised by Kings Saud, Faisal and Khalid—marked a turning point in the development of the Haram and involved more than 55,000 engineers, experts, technicians, staff and laborers.

The expansion increased the mosque’s built-up area and surrounding plazas to nearly 200,000 square meters - more than six times its original size. At peak capacity, it could accommodate up to 400,000 worshippers. The project came at a cost of one billion Saudi riyals and signaled the beginning of a modern era in the mosque’s architectural and spiritual evolution.

As pilgrim numbers continued to grow, King Fahd bin Abdulaziz initiated a second phase of expansion, completed in 1993 (1413 AH).

The mosque’s total area, including surrounding courtyards, doubled to approximately 400,000 square meters, raising capacity to around 800,000 worshippers. The project, which also included upgraded infrastructure and services, cost more than 30 billion riyals.

A third and most ambitious expansion followed under the orders of King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz. It included the enlargement of the mosque itself, the Masa’a (the running area between Safa and Marwa), and the Mataf (the circumambulation area around the Kaaba).

This phase continued under King Salman and brought the total area of the mosque and its courtyards to 750,000 square meters, with total built-up space exceeding 1.4 million square meters.

Today, the Grand Mosque can host up to 2.5 million worshippers. The expanded facilities accommodate 105,000 pilgrims performing Tawaf (circumambulation) around the Kaaba and 120,000 people performing Sa’i between Safa and Marwa, setting new benchmarks in scale, design, and operational efficiency.