The first-ever joint summit between the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and the five Central Asian countries (C5) concluded with attendees agreeing to further dialogue and cooperation, according to a joint statement.

The landmark event, held in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia on 19 July, saw the leaders of the GCC Arab nations (Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates) discuss avenues for future cooperation with the five Central Asian nations (Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan).

During the summit, the leaders approved a Joint Action Plan for Strategic Dialogue and Cooperation, which outlines collaborative efforts from 2023 to 2027.

The summit's significance was highlighted by the leaders of both blocs, who stressed the importance of strengthening both collective and bilateral relations. Alongside topics such as regional and international security and stability, the leaders also discussed growing concerns about racism, Islamophobia, and violence against Muslim minorities and Islamic symbols.

“The challenges our world faces today require all efforts to enhance cooperation between our countries to achieve security and stability in our region,” Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman told the summit, at the start of the summit.

“In this regard, we stress the importance of respecting the sovereignty, independence and values of states, non-interference in their internal affairs and the need to intensify joint efforts to confront everything that affects energy security and global food supply chains.”

The meeting comes amidst growing interest in Central Asia to boost economic ties with the Gulf States, particularly in light of Russia’s war on Ukraine. Moscow is the main economic partner of the C5 bloc, and all five countries are looking to diversify their trade imports and exports. GCC and C5 leaders noted that the two regions have complementary economies, as the GCC countries possess abundant oil and gas resources, while Central Asia benefits from a young and expanding workforce. This presents numerous opportunities for cooperation in trade, investment and tourism, which both sides are eager to explore and utilise.

The leaders were also keen to highlight the historical ties between GCC members and Central Asian countries, which date back to the time of the Silk Road trade route, as well as religious ties.

Alongside a focus on strengthening strategic relations, anti-terrorism and improving security in Central Asia, the joint statement also highlighted the potential for cooperation in various economic spheres, such as supply chains, transportation, communication, food security, energy security and water security. Saudi Arabia also used the summit as an opportunity to canvas support for its bid to host Expo 2030 in Riyadh.

The joint statement also revealed that a second joint GCC-C5 summit is planned for 2025, to be held in Samarkand, Uzbekistan.