Via Leonardo Jacopo Maria Mazzucco in agsiw.org: On October 16, the European Union and the Gulf Cooperation Council held their first-ever summit. The meeting in Brussels, Belgium gathered leaders and representatives of the two organizations and respective member states at a critical juncture in the interinstitutional relations between the two blocs. The GCC region has rarely topped the EU strategic agenda. However, the acknowledgment of the growing interdependency between the two blocs showcased by global crises, such as the coronavirus pandemic and Russia’s war on Ukraine, and the rising diplomatic role of the Gulf Arab countries in global affairs have prompted Brussels to step up political engagement with the GCC. From a Gulf standpoint, the renewed resolve of GCC countries to diversify partners in a world order tilting toward multipolarity, coupled with the reconciliation after the 2017-21 Gulf crisis, has injected new life into the GCC project, strengthening the bloc’s standing as a meaningful institutional interlocutor.
