In light of developments in the file of demarcating the maritime boundaries between the State of Kuwait and the Republic of Iraq beyond Marker (162), the Ministerial Council of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) held its 47th extraordinary meeting on Tuesday, 08 Dhu al-Qadah 1446 AH, corresponding to 06 May 2025, chaired by His Excellency Abdullah Ali Abdullah Al Yahya, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the State of Kuwait, who is the president of the current session of the Ministerial Council, and with the participation of Their Highnesses and Excellencies:
His Excellency Mr Khalifa bin Shaheen Al Marar
Minister of State at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the United Arab Emirates
His Excellency Dr Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani
Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Bahrain
His Excellency Mr Waleed bin Abdulkarim El Khereiji
Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
His Excellency Mr Sayyid Badr bin Hamad Al Busaidi
Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Sultanate of Oman
His Excellency Mr Sultan bin Saad Al Muraikhi
Minister of State for Foreign Affairs of the State of Qatar
His Excellency Ambassador Shaikh Jarrah Jaber Al Ahmad Al Sabah
Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the State of Kuwait
His Excellency Mr Jasem Mohamed Abdullah Albudaiwi, Secretary General of the GCC, also participated in the meeting.
After discussing these developments, the following conclusions were reached:
1. The Ministerial Council affirmed the decisions of the esteemed Supreme Council in its 45th session in December 2024, and the decisions of the Ministerial Council in previous sessions regarding the situation in Iraq. It was briefed on the updates concerning the maritime boundary delineation beyond marker (162) between the State of Kuwait and the Republic of Iraq.
2. The Ministerial Council stressed the necessity for Iraq to respect the sovereignty of the State of Kuwait and its territorial integrity, and to adhere to bilateral and international commitments and all relevant United Nations resolutions, especially Security Council Resolution No. 833 (1993) regarding the delineation of the Kuwait-Iraq land and maritime borders. It called for the completion of the maritime boundary delineation between the two countries beyond maritime marker 162, in accordance with the rules and principles of international law and the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea of 1982.
3. The Ministerial Council underscored the importance of achieving positive progress regarding the maritime boundary delineation between the State of Kuwait and the Republic of Iraq in accordance with the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea of 1982 and the rules and principles of international law, stressing the importance of full adherence by the Joint Technical and Legal Committee for the demarcation of maritime boundaries beyond Marker No. 162, including all its minutes.
4. The Ministerial Council firmly rejected any infringement on the sovereignty of the State of Kuwait over all its territories, islands, and heights, as well as its entire maritime areas.
5. The Ministerial Council reiterated its affirmation of the decisions of the esteemed Supreme Council in its 45th session in December 2024, and the decisions of the Ministerial Council in previous sessions regarding the Durra field.
6. The Ministerial Council confirmed that the Durra field is entirely located within the maritime areas of the State of Kuwait, and that the ownership of natural resources in the divided submerged area adjacent to the divided Kuwaiti-Saudi area, including the entirety of the Durra field, is a shared ownership between the State of Kuwait and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia only. Both have exclusive rights to exploit the natural resources in that area, in accordance with international law and based on the agreements in force between them.
7. The Ministerial Council firmly rejected any claims of rights by any other party in this field or in the submerged area adjacent to the divided area, as defined by the boundaries between the State of Kuwait and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Issued in Kuwait
On Tuesday, 08 Dhu al-Qi'dah 1446 AH, corresponding to 06 May 2025.