Saudi Arabia will host on Tuesday the 41st Gulf Cooperation Council summit as it agreed on Monday to reopen its land border and airspace to Qatar.
Saudi Arabia made the move in response to the efforts at Gulf reconciliation exerted by Emir of Kuwait Sheikh Nawaf al-Ahmad al-Jaber Al-Sabah.
The Kingdom views Kuwait with appreciation, recognizing its efforts in recent years to resolve the rift.
Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense, said on Monday that Saudi Arabia, with the leadership of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz, follows a policy based on achieving the higher national interests of the GCC and Arab countries.
He said the annual gathering of Gulf leaders would unite Gulf ranks “in the face of challenges facing the region”.
Kuwait’s Foreign Minister Sheikh Ahmad Nasser Al-Mohammad Al-Sabah declared on Monday the reopening of the border between Saudi Arabia and Qatar.
He made the announcement after telephone talks were held between the Emir of Kuwait, Crown Prince Mohammed and Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani on the eve of the GCC summit.
GCC Secretary-General Dr. Nayef al-Hajraf welcomed the reopening of the borders, saying it was a reflection of the great keenness and sincere efforts to ensure the success of the summit.
The meeting is being held amid extraordinary circumstances in wake of the coronavirus pandemic and the residents of the Gulf are pinning high hopes that it will underscore the strength of the council and ability to overcome all challenges and obstacles, he added.
The summit is set to be attended by the Emirs of Kuwait and Qatar. The Bahraini delegation will be headed by Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad al-Khalifa, the Omani delegation will be headed by deputy Prime Minister Fahad al-Said and the United Arab Emirates will be represented by Ruler of Dubai Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum.
Ahead of the summit, Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan discussed, by phone with his Kuwaiti counterpart, relations between the two countries and common regional and international issues.
UAE Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Anwar Gargash said in a Twitter post that Tuesday's summit would restore Gulf unity and that "more work lies ahead and we are moving in the right direction".
The AlUla declaration, an agreement aimed at ending their rift, is to be signed in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday.
White House senior adviser Jared Kushner, Middle East envoy Avi Berkowitz and Brian Hook, a special State Department adviser, were flying to the Saudi Arabian city of AlUla to attend the summit, a senior Trump administration official said, according to Reuters.
