His Excellency Mr Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi, Secretary General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), affirmed that the convening of the Second Summit between the Cooperation Council and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) provided numerous opportunities to discuss strengthening cooperation in the Gulf-Asian partnership, in light of the accelerating challenges and transformations the world is witnessing at the regional and international levels.
“This makes it imperative, more than ever, for us to strengthen the bonds of constructive cooperation and close coordination between our regional blocs, in order to meet the aspirations of our peoples for security, stability and prosperity,” HE the Secretary General said during the Second GCC-ASEAN Summit, held on Tuesday (May 27, 2025) in the Malaysian capital, Kuala Lumpur, under the joint chairmanship of the Representative of His Highness Shaikh Meshal Al Ahmad Al Jaber Al Sabah, Amir of the State of Kuwait, His Highness Shaikh Sabah Khaled Al Hamad Al Mubarak Al Sabah, Crown Prince of the State of Kuwait, the Presidency State of the GCC Supreme Council), and His Excellency Mr Anwar Ibrahim, Prime Minister of Malaysia, in the presence of Their Majesties and Highnesses, the leaders of the GCC countries, and their representatives, and the leaders and representatives of the ASEAN countries, with the participation of His Excellency Dr Kao Kim Hourn, Secretary General of ASEAN.
At the beginning of his speech, HE the Secretary General of the GCC expressed his sincere thanks and appreciation to the government and people of friendly Malaysia for the warm welcome and generous hospitality, to HE the Prime Minister of Malaysia for his generous patronage of the summit and for the distinguished efforts in organising, preparing and hosting it, which reflected Malaysia's institutional competence, Islamic heritage and authentic Asian traditions.
His Excellency said in his speech that the Second GCC-ASEAN Summit represents an extension of an ambitious journey that began more than 15 years ago, when the city of Manama, Bahrain, witnessed the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding between the Cooperation Council and ASEAN, in 2009, marking the beginning of a new phase of cooperation between the two sides.
“This was followed by successive fruitful meetings and consultations, until we witnessed a prominent development in relations during the historic Riyadh Summit in 2023, which approved the Strategic Cooperation Framework for the period 2024-2028, which covers the fields of politics, economy, energy, food security, technology, digitisation, education, culture and other shared priorities,” HE the Secretary General stated.
In a related context, His Excellency highlighted that the Riyadh Summit between the GCC and ASEAN reflected the unity of positions on many regional and international issues, as it emphasised the importance of respecting international law and the United Nations Charter, and of consolidating the values of dialogue, mutual respect and constructive cooperation between countries and regional blocs, thus contributing to achieving global peace, development, and prosperity.
He further said: “We affirmed our shared commitment to the rules of the international regime, the principles of good neighbourliness, respect for national sovereignty and territorial integrity, non-interference in the internal affairs of states, refraining from the use or threat of force, and preferring peaceful solutions to settle disputes, thus ensuring a safe and stable environment for our nations and peoples.”
HE the Secretary General also pointed out the rapid and dangerous developments taking place in the Middle East that threaten regional security and stability, foremost among which is the tragedy of Palestine, and the ongoing aggression, war crimes and horrific violations in the Gaza Strip, which require a firm, unified stance.
“We reiterate the need for an immediate and permanent ceasefire, lifting the unjust blockade, opening all crossings without restrictions or conditions, ensuring the flow of humanitarian and medical aid, and the continued work of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA). We also reaffirm the GCC’s commitment to supporting the right of the Palestinian people to establish their independent state on the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital, in accordance with the Arab Peace Initiative and international legitimacy resolutions,” he stressed.
His Excellency also touched upon the geopolitical tensions in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, which have affected global supply chains, as shipping time between Asia and Europe has increased by approximately 10-12 days, and the costs of shipping voyages have risen as a result. Commenting on this matter, he remarked: “Based on our deep awareness of the importance of oceans and seas as a major driver of growth and development in our two regions, we emphasise the importance of protecting freedom of international navigation, maintaining the security of maritime routes and supporting the legal uses of the seas, in accordance with international law and the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. We reiterate our strong condemnation of attacks on commercial vessels and foreign interference in the internal affairs of states.”
Furthermore, HE the Secretary General underlined the need to take a firm and unified stance to confront all activities that undermine the security and stability of the region and the world, most notably attacks on commercial vessels and threats targeting the freedom of maritime navigation and the flow of international trade.
On another note, HE the Secretary General stated that the experience of the ASEAN represents a prominent model of successful integration on the Asian continent, having emerged as one of the rising economic powers on the international stage.
“Through our strategic partnership, we possess the capacity to play a pivotal and effective role in driving the global economy, particularly in the areas of energy, investment and logistics services,” His Excellency said during his speech, while he also reviewed a set of indicators and figures that clearly reflect the extent of joint achievements, which represent an indication of the depth of cooperation and the growth of mutual economic relations, as the volume of trade in goods between the GCC and ASEAN reached approximately USD 122 billion in 2023, representing more than 8% of the GCC's total merchandise trade.
Commenting further on the value of merchandise exports and imports, His Excellency noted that the value of GCC exports to ASEAN countries amounted to approximately USD75.7 billion, compared to imports of approximately USD46.4 billion, resulting in a trade surplus in goods of approximately USD29 billion and making the GCC the sixth largest partner of ASEAN.
“Exports of fuel and mineral oils also constitute 77% of the total merchandise exports from the GCC to ASEAN countries. Estimates indicate that total trade between the two sides is expected to reach USD682 billion by 2030, if growth rates continue at 7.1% annually. We have also witnessed an unprecedented increase in Asian direct investment in the Gulf, from USD4 billion in 2018 to USD26 billion in 2023,” HE the Secretary General explained.
Moreover, His Excellency said that the GCC countries hope to intensify bilateral cooperation over the coming period, through holding numerous events to ensure the achievement of The desired results. Accordingly, he announced that the GCC General Secretariat proposes holding a conference between the two sides in 2026 on cooperation in the blue economy, with the aim of achieving the following objectives: first, economic growth and development; second, food security; third, job creation; fourth, combating and adapting to climate change; fifth, biodiversity and environmental services; sixth, geopolitical and strategic value; and finally, innovation and the knowledge economy.
Besides, His Excellency emphasised that the economies of the GCC and ASEAN countries possess all the elements for the success of this hoped-for joint cooperation in the blue economy, mentioning that the recent period has witnessed tangible steps in implementing what was agreed upon at the Riyadh Summit, most notably the convening of the Joint Economic and Investment Forum in Riyadh in May 2024, organised by the Ministry of Investment of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, providing an effective platform for enhancing communication between the business communities on both sides and identifying priority areas of cooperation, such as food and water security, renewable and nuclear energy, green infrastructure, manufacturing industries, the digital economy, smart cities, and logistics services.
In the same context, HE the Secretary General stated that the forum resulted in broad consensus on the importance of more effective private sector engagement, strengthening ties between chambers of commerce, establishing joint investment projects and working together to address climate change, accelerate progress toward carbon neutrality, expand green financing, and enhance the preparedness of societies to meet global environmental challenges.
HE Mr Albudaiwi concluded his speech by emphasising the importance of consolidating a model strategic partnership that enhances global stability, serves sustainable development goals, and advances from understanding to influence, and from cooperation to integration, reaffirming the the GCC's full commitment to supporting and developing this partnership at all levels, serving the interests of peoples on both sides and achieving shared aspirations for security, prosperity and economic growth.
