KUWAIT CITY and MANAMA — Senior Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) officials convened last week to address regional security challenges and emphasize the need for a coordinated, international law-based framework to ensure stability in the Arabian Gulf. The meetings took place in the context of the 22nd Manama Dialogue, held in Bahrain from October 30 to November 1, 2026.
His Highness the Amir Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah of Kuwait received several key figures at Bayan Palace on November 1, including the Crown Prince Sheikh Sabah Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah, Prime Minister Sheikh Ahmad Abdullah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, as well as the First Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister Sheikh Fahad Yousef Saud Al-Sabah, Defense Minister Sheikh Abdullah Ali Abdullah Al-Salem Al-Sabah, and Foreign Minister Sheikh Jarrah Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah. Separately, the Crown Prince also met with several senior ministers at Bayan Palace during the same day.
Meanwhile, Kuwaiti Undersecretary of Defense Sheikh Dr. Abdullah Meshal Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah, representing the Defense Minister, participated in the Manama Dialogue, an annual forum that brought together senior officials, military leaders, and defense decision-makers worldwide. During the event, Sheikh Abdullah held talks with German Deputy Defense Minister Nils Schmid and met with representatives from the defense industry, underscoring Kuwait’s ongoing engagement in regional and international military cooperation.
GCC Secretary-General Jasem Al-Budaiwi addressed the third plenary session of the forum, titled “Pillars of Regional Security,” emphasizing the critical importance of respecting international law and state sovereignty as the foundation for sustainable security in the region. He highlighted the indivisibility of GCC national security and affirmed that stability in the Arabian Gulf is essential for broader international peace.
Al-Budaiwi pointed to recent attacks by Iran targeting GCC states and vital civilian infrastructure, noting the diplomatic restraint exercised by GCC countries despite not being direct parties to the conflict. He also condemned repeated Houthi militia assaults on Saudi Arabia, including strikes on the Islamic holy cities of Makkah and Medina, calling these acts violations of international norms and dangerous escalations.
The GCC chief outlined five key pillars for a durable regional security architecture: adherence to international law, collective defense and military integration, strategic diplomacy leveraging partnerships with global and regional powers, protection of maritime navigation and energy flows under the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, and fostering economic development through regional and international cooperation. He referenced United Nations Security Council Resolution 2817—which Bahrain introduced on behalf of GCC states and Jordan and was co-sponsored by 136 nations—as a crucial framework for enforcing these principles.
Al-Budaiwi reaffirmed GCC support for stability efforts in Yemen, Iraq, Syria, and Lebanon, and reiterated the council’s backing of a just two-state solution for the Palestinian issue.
Speaking at a panel on global trade routes and alliances on the sidelines of the Gateway Gulf Forum 2026 in Manama, Al-Budaiwi acknowledged the unprecedented challenges posed by Iranian attacks on energy, transport, logistics, and supply chain sectors. He emphasized the strong solidarity and coordination among GCC member states that have helped contain these challenges and maintain economic resilience amid evolving security threats.
The GCC concluded that effective crisis management and enhanced institutional preparedness remain vital as the council seeks to deepen joint defense efforts, including progressing on a joint ballistic missile early-warning system mandated during the 19th GCC Consultative Summit held in Jeddah in April 2026.