Bahrain pledges to deepen parliamentary ties with GCC and European partners

According to the source, Bahrain’s Parliament Speaker and chairman of the Executive Committee of the Parliamentary Division, Ahmed Al Musallam, chaired a preparatory meeting ahead of the gathering of GCC shura, parliament, national and national assembly council speakers with the European Parliament, held at the European Parliament headquarters in Brussels.

Attendees and setting

The session was attended by the speakers and representatives of the GCC legislative councils, the GCC Secretary‑General, and Dr Mohammed Ali Behzad, Bahrain’s ambassador to Belgium.

Al Musallam’s commitment to cooperation

Mr Al Musallam said that Bahrain’s legislature remains committed to strengthening parliamentary cooperation and aligning the positions and visions of Gulf legislative councils and parliaments at Arab, regional and international forums, in line with the vision of His Majesty King Hamad. He praised the achievements of joint GCC action, which is backed by the leaders of the GCC states, and stressed that Bahrain continues to support efforts to deepen integration and promote development and prosperity across various sectors.

Agenda and discussion points

The agenda featured an address by the GCC Secretary General, a briefing on GCC‑European relations and the main areas of shared interest, and topics for coordination at the summit. Participants exchanged views and coordinated their positions on the core themes, notably economic and trade partnership, Gulf security and freedom of maritime navigation, European security and the wider international repercussions.

Outlook and coordination measures

The coordination meeting also discussed the draft joint statement and the outcomes of the speakers’ meeting, including the proposed Gulf messages and positions to be incorporated into the statement. Delegates considered ways to ensure that shared Gulf priorities and interests are reflected in the summit’s results, to follow up on the meeting’s conclusions, to strengthen GCC‑European parliamentary cooperation, and to improve communication and coordination among the Gulf legislative councils on joint initiatives and common issues.

The meeting likewise provided an opportunity for Gulf parliaments to exchange views on the issues appearing on the speakers’ meeting agenda.

Key topics covered turning shared interests into a strategic partnership through open trade and stronger links between regions and peoples; security in the Gulf, including freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz and the Red Sea; European security and the wider implications of the Russian war on Ukraine; and parliamentary diplomacy and the future of parliamentary cooperation.