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.
