Economy, Yemen to top GCC summit agenda
Gulf leaders will also focus on Iran nuclear issue
Manama: The Gulf Summit starting on Monday in Kuwait will give the go-ahead to a number of economic projects, including a multi-billion-dollar railway network and a common power grid project.
The conflict in Yemen, which has dragged in Saudi Arabia, Iran's nuclear issue and the impact on regional security, will also be high on the agenda.
‘Extraordinary'
Gulf Cooperation Council Secretary-General Abdul Rahman Al Attiyah said that the Kuwait summit, the 30th to be held since the alliance was established in May 1981 in Abu Dhabi, was "extraordinary", coming amid several security, political and economic challenges.
For the first time since 1990 the summit is being held while one of its six members is involved in an armed conflict.
Saudi Arabia has been dragged into the war in Yemen between government forces and Al Houthi rebels, who last month shot dead a Saudi soldier.
GCC countries have repeatedly said that they support Saudi Arabia in defending its territory and stressed that they stood by the Yemeni government.
Iran's nuclear programme will take centre stage when the leaders convene. Keen on measures that will prevent a "devastating" war in the region, GCC states have always supported dialogue. However, they are wary of a possible diplomatic deal between Washington and Tehran at their expense and insist that their interests be represented at ongoing talks.
On Saturday, Bahrain's foreign minister said that the talks between the world's major powers and Iran have failed because the Gulf region, directly concerned by the outcome of the meetings, was not involved.
Economically, GCC leaders are expected to focus on the common power grid project.
The first phase of the multibillion-dollar project has already linked the electricity networks of Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar and Bahrain while in the second phase Oman will be linked with the UAE, and in the third phase, the two networks will be joined.
What do you expect from the summit? Do you think progress will be made with the GCC monetary union? What are the main issues that need to be focused on?
