The GCC is a flourishing garden in the middle of a fire, says first SG

The new slogan to greet citizens in the member states of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) is “The future is Gulf”. Despite the ongoing regional unrest due to the Israeli genocide in Gaza and the West Bank, and its invasion of Lebanon, as well as the sudden re-eruption of fighting in Syria, plans for a brighter future dominated the 45th GCC Summit in Kuwait on Sunday.

Although Abdullah Bishara told me that the summit was held at a time when the world is “facing serious and unpredictable challenges,” such a focus is entirely normal, and shouldn’t be seen as an unusual approach.

Before our meeting in Kuwait, the local media quoted the first Secretary General of the GCC as saying that the Gulf States are “monitoring regional and international developments that require them to make necessary decisions.” However, no decisions were made regarding the current conflicts. The summit, which current GCC Secretary General Jasem Al-Badawi called “historical”, didn’t actually offer any new resolutions. Instead, it repeated calls for external intervention to protect the Palestinians and put pressure on Israel to abandon its destabilising and security-threatening actions in the Middle East.

According to 88-year-old Bishara, this is the most that the Gulf leaders can do. “The American position is fundamental to solving the Middle East conflict,” he told me. “However, the United States is unable to change Netanyahu’s stance.” Given this grim outlook, “The GCC can only try to convince hesitant powers to work toward a solution based on the establishment of a Palestinian state.”

Meanwhile, Gulf politicians and local media remain focused primarily on the “prosperity” of ordinary people within the GCC member states. When talking to anyone on Sunday, including GCC citizens in Kuwait for the summit, the conversation often centred around improving the quality of life, the digital economy and free of movement in the Gulf countries, and so on.

The Kuwait Declaration and the final GCC communiqué of its 45th summit sent a strong message to Gulf citizens: your welfare and aspirations are the highest priority. Bishara believes that focusing on economic issues was the right approach. “The primary purpose of the regional bloc since its inception has been to serve the interests of Gulf citizens.”

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Pointing out that the bloc is like a “flourishing garden in the middle of a fire,” he explained that, “The GCC Charter focuses on trade cooperation, investment promotion and economic integration.” He acknowledged, however, that this garden cannot continue to thrive if the broader Middle East remains in turmoil and instability. “It’s difficult for the GCC’s success story to survive and develop amid a disturbed region. Hence, the GCC works tirelessly to contain the turbulent situation in the region.”

The goal is still to reach diplomatic and political solutions for the Palestinian issue.

Will such solutions have a chance, given Israel’s continuing crimes in Palestine and Lebanon? “Even if the diplomatic route isn’t possible, we must continue to pursue it,” he insisted.

Regarding the legitimate right of resistance against the Israeli occupation by “any means”, including “armed struggle”, the former GCC head advocates for uniting Palestinians under the leadership of the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO), which does not at present include groups like the Islamic Resistance Movement, Hamas, or the Islamic Jihad Movement. “The PLO alone should decide on Palestinian policies.”

Bishara argued that the GCC is “doing enough to leverage its capabilities to achieve comprehensive peace in the Middle East,” and reiterated that Palestinian disunity is “an obstacle to progress.”

The GCC has repeatedly called for the establishment of a Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital. Although Bishara predicts that this will be “very difficult”, he believes that the GCC is doing its best to support the internationally-agreed two-state solution, led by Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman.

The veteran Kuwaiti diplomat categorically ruled out the possibility that the trade and economic bloc will seek a more active and influential role in regional politics. Despite developing partnerships with many countries and regions, he doesn’t expect the GCC to use its economic power to gain political influence.

As one of the most experienced diplomats and politicians in the Gulf, Bishara served as the GCC Secretary General for twelve years. Before that, he was chief of staff for Kuwait’s foreign ministry and headed the country’s mission to the UN. He now serves as a foreign ministry adviser. His country was behind the establishment of the GCC in 1981, an idea first proposed by the late Emir of Kuwait, Sheikh Jaber Al-Ahmed Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, with the aim of achieving unity among the Gulf States.

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Ten years ago, the leaders of the six GCC member states decided to transition from a phase of cooperation to a phase of union, as proposed by the late King Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud of Saudi Arabia.

Sunday’s summit outlined the GCC’s progress towards economic union, as well as a joint defence and security system.

Regarding foreign policy, each GCC member state has its own approach to regional issues. The United Arab Emirates and Bahrain are the only members that have established formal relations with Israel. Qatar maintains good relations with Iran and hosts leaders of the Muslim Brotherhood, while Oman is known for mediating between Iran and the US. Oman has also hosted Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Kuwait remains cautious, attempting to help resolve conflicts peacefully, as it did during the Gulf Crisis (2017-2021) between Qatar on one side and Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain and Egypt on the other. Kuwait’s long-standing policy, which has been emphasised repeatedly, is that securing all Palestinian rights, including the establishment of an independent and sovereign state, is a prerequisite for establishing relations with Israel.

Kuwait currently chairs the GCC, but he ruled out the possibility of a unified Gulf foreign policy. “There will always be distinctions in the diplomatic tracks of each member state,” he said. “We must appreciate that geography has its own dictates.”

The official statistics show that the GCC states have accumulated immense wealth.

The total assets of their Sovereign Wealth Funds combined amount to $4.4 trillion, approximately 34 per cent of the total assets of the 100 largest such funds globally. The economies of the GCC have grown seven times faster than the global economy, and the per capita GDP in GCC countries is three times higher than the global average.

The financial value of the Gulf stock markets is also estimated to reach about $4 trillion by the end of 2023, with the GCC economies being three times higher than the global average per capita income, according to recent GCC reports.

Would the GCC agree, if asked, to cover the costs of rebuilding Gaza, the West Bank, and Lebanon after the Israeli war? “This is an international responsibility,” said Abdullah Bishara. He anticipates that the Gulf States will continue to contribute through international organisations, but ruled out the possibility of them paying for the reconstruction of what Israel has destroyed.

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