His Excellency Mr Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi, Secretary General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), affirmed that the reconstruction and stability of Syria is a humanitarian and security necessity for the entire region, and therefore, the GCC will remain supportive of all initiatives that put Syria on a path to recovery, a path away from conflicts, based on the foundations of justice, development, and stability.
This came during His Excellency's speech at the Ninth Brussels Conference on Syria, today, Monday, March 17, 2025, in the Belgian capital, Brussels, with the participation of many countries and organisations.
At the beginning of his speech, His Excellency expressed his sincere thanks and appreciation to the European Union (EU) for the excellent organisation and preparation for this conference, which embodies the international community's commitment to supporting the Syrian Arab Republic and its people, and reflects the common understanding of the magnitude of the challenges "we face at this sensitive stage, and opens the door for reconstruction and development."
His Excellency also praised the presence of His Excellency Mr Asaad Al Shaibani, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Syrian Arab Republic in the Conference.
"We are meeting today to send a message of hope to the Syrian people that the world has not forgotten them, and that we stand by them at this pivotal moment, a moment that requires all of us to work to coordinate international support efforts for the transitional phase that Syria is going through and the best ways to provide it, and to identify the priorities of the required support, because what is happening in Syria is a humanitarian, political and security challenge that affects us all," His Excellency said.
Furthermore, His Excellency pointed out that the Syrian Arab Republic has witnessed rapid developments recently, which "requires all of us to take a unified position that guarantees the preservation of its sovereignty and territorial integrity, and that the GCC countries stood by the brotherly Syrian people, based on a firm conviction that a strong, safe and stable Syria is not only in the interest of Syria, but also in the interest of the Gulf, Arab and international community."
"The Ministerial Council of the GCC held its extraordinary session (46) on December 26, 2024, in the State of Kuwait in this context, where it affirmed its support for all efforts aimed at achieving a comprehensive political settlement, and welcomed the steps taken to ensure the safety of civilians, preserve the institutions and capabilities of the Syrian state, and emphasise that limiting weapons to the state is the basis for restoring stability. The Council also supported the call of the Secretary General of the United Nations to establish a UN mission to support the transitional process in Syria, as we believe that the international community must be a partner in rebuilding Syria, not just an observer of events," His Excellency explained.
During his speech, His Excellency also touched on the intensive diplomatic moves of the GCC countries, mentioning his visit with His Excellency Abdullah Al Yahya, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the State of Kuwait, to the Syrian Arab Republic to meet with the new Syrian leadership in Damascus, which came in response to what was agreed upon at the consultative meeting of the Ministerial Council, which preceded the convening of the 46th extraordinary session of the esteemed GCC Ministerial Council, which was held on December 26, 2024, in the State of Kuwait, in which Their Highnesses and Excellencies the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the GCC countries, stressed the importance of sending a unified Gulf message to support and express the Council's solidarity with Syria, and to affirm the GCC's commitment to supporting the Syrian people at this critical stage.
Besides, His Excellency the GCC Secretary General also mentioned that this conference is a continuation of "our joint efforts, as the GCC countries and the General Secretariat participated in the high-level ministerial conference on Syria, which was hosted by the friendly French Republic on February 13, 2025, and the focus was on supporting a comprehensive transitional process and identifying the basic needs for restoring stability in Syria."
"This was preceded by extensive meetings hosted by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in Riyadh on January 12, 2025, to discuss ways to support Syria, seek to lift sanctions on it, and begin providing all forms of humanitarian and economic support, and building the necessary capabilities for reconstruction," His Excellency said, adding: "Because we believe that Syria's recovery requires strong economic support, the Ministerial Council in its recent 163rd session, which was held in Makkah on March 6, 2025, affirmed the lifting of sanctions to enable the Syrian economy to stand on its feet again, and to create the conditions for the return of Syrian refugees to their homes with dignity and safety, and that the GCC urges all partners, countries and organisations concerned to provide all means of support to the brotherly Syrian people."
Furthermore, His Excellency stressed in this context the continuation of the GCC countries' efforts in providing humanitarian assistance to Syria.
His Excellency also welcomed the positive steps taken by the United States of America, the European Union and the United Kingdom in easing some of the sanctions imposed on Syria.
"The Ministerial Council held a joint meeting with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Syrian Arab Republic, during the work of the session referred to, to discuss ways to support the brotherly Syrian people and provide all assistance and support to them at this important stage," His Excellency stated.
Additionally, His Excellency said that the GCC countries have spared no effort in providing humanitarian and relief support to the brothers in Syria, and in recognition of the extent of the suffering they still face, the GCC countries have sent hundreds of tons of medical and food aid via air and land bridges, and have implemented dozens of volunteer programmes in the health field, from which more than tens of thousands of people have benefited, in addition to launching training and rehabilitation programmes for specialists in the medical fields, with the aim of supporting the health sector in Syria.
In conclusion, His Excellency stressed that the GCC supports the security and stability of Syria, condemns the repeated Israeli attacks on Syrian territory, rejects the Israeli occupation of the buffer zone, and demands Israel's withdrawal from all occupied Syrian territories, stressing that the Golan will remain an Arab Syrian land that the occupation does not change its identity.
"The GCC also rejects any attempts to make demographic changes in Syria, because the future of Syria must belong to its people, and not as a result of external plans or regional calculations," His Excellency stressed.
