Doha, 21 Sept. 2024

The 13th EU-GCC dialogues has provided further opportunity to prepare for the upcoming first-ever summit in history taking place in Brussels on October 16 at the level of heads of state and governments between the EU and the GCC under the chairmanship of Qatar.

There will be an event on EU-Qatar Food Security. A day will be dedicated to food security where the government and private sectors will join the academia to look into ways to create synergies.

The 13th EU-GCC Economic Dialogue was held recently at the Hotel Plaza Doha. Both sides discussed the key economic challenges, policy priorities, and regional and international risks related to security and stability.

It may be recalled that the first EU-GCC Economic Dialogue, hosted in 2003, was held within the framework of the two parties’ commitment to strengthening their cooperation. The dialogue discussed regional and international developments, especially addressing economic challenges and finding solutions to overcome them.

Editor www.asiantelegraphqatar.com talked to Dr Cristian Tudor, European Union envoy to State of Qatar on the sidelines of the EU-GCC Economic Dialogue. Dr Tudor replying to the various questions first praised Qatar’s hosting of the 13th EU-GCC Economic Dialogue, considering these dialogues as 'the appropriate way to promote strategic relations between the EU and the GCC states, and enhance cooperation between the two peoples'.

He said, 'As the link between politics and economy has never been so intertwined, so strong, therefore, the dialogue between EU and GCC will solidify at the economic and macroeconomic level'.

Tudor added: 'The main problem with geopolitics is that it is affecting the investment world and we see that economy, prosperity and everything is linked to stability. There is a lot of instability, a lot of volatility, and a lot of unknowns when you look at the world so the link between the EU and GCC is getting closer and closer; we have a lot of things to do.

'We have Russian aggression against Ukraine in Europe, in this region the war in Gaza and we have seen lately the risk of escalation. That’s why the EU from the beginning has been calling for a better world, for a truce, having called for a ceasefire.

Dr Tudor said that 'We are aligning ourselves very well with Qatar, with all our friends in the GCC. Therefore, this is an important occasion for the EU and GCC to exchange ideas, talk about the challenges that we are dealing with in Europe, and talk about the challenges that our friends in the GCC are dealing with. Our proximity, our policies on humanitarian, on aid, on the economy, we see a lot of interest growing in this region for what we call the twin digital and green transition', he added.

The EU envoy to the State of Qatar said that the 13th EU-GCC dialogues has provided further opportunity to prepare for the upcoming first-ever summit in history taking place in Brussels on October 16 at the level of heads of state and governments between the EU and the GCC under the chairmanship of Qatar.

He said that before the October summit, there will be an event on EU-Qatar Food Security. A day will be dedicated to food security where the government and private sectors will join the academia to look into ways to create synergies.

Dr Tudor also informed that a significant event is scheduled for November this year, which will be marking a new era in EU-GCC relations, as well as individual ties between the EU and member states like Qatar, Kuwait, and Saudi Arabia. He noted that the relationship between the EU and the GCC has always been multifaceted, with diverse connections across regions.

On bilateral trade and investment, he emphasized the importance of recognizing the EU as a political and economic alliance comprising 27 member-states, including Bulgaria and Romania in the east, as well as central and western European nations. “As both regions strengthen their political and economic ties, new opportunities for mutual investments are emerging.”

He noted that the Gulf states are increasingly becoming attractive destinations for external investments, with many EU companies expressing interest in entering the GCC market. “This growing interest paves the way for collaborative projects, co-investments, and joint ventures.”

Dr Tudor highlighted the potential for identifying common ground and exploring opportunities for growth across various sectors, including business, investments, tourism, and education.