During their meeting in Riyadh, the two discussed the progress of work in implementing the strategic partnership between the GCC countries and the EU under the Joint Cooperation Program for the period 2022-2027.

The program was established to strengthen political dialogue and enhance security and political engagement between the GCC and the EU.

The meeting was also attended by Dr. Abdulaziz Al-Awaisheq, the GCC assistant secretary for political affairs and negotiations.

“My meeting today with the GCC Secretarty General aimed to discuss the upcoming EU-GCC events for the second half of 2023 and the preparations that come with it,” Simonnet told Arab News.

“Furthermore, we exchanged views on the regional affairs highlighting the strategic partnership that brings us together,” he added.

“This was a meeting that we regularly hold with our partners to take stock on the latest developments and our bilateral relations.

“The GCC is, and will remain, a reliable partner for the EU following a long history of great milestones in our relationships,” he told Arab News.

In January, Simonnet met with former GCC Secretary-General Dr. Nayef Falah Al-Hajraf to discuss shared interests and the importance of strengthening relations between the GCC and the EU.

In 1989 the EU and GCC countries signed a cooperation agreement to establish continuous dialogues on economic relations, science, energy, climate change and research.

The agreement also aimed to diversify economic development and reinforce the role of the GCC in contributing to peace and stability in the region.

The GCC and the EU have been developing strategic cooperation throughout the years since establishing a dialogue in 1989.

In May 2022, the EU presented the joint communication to further strategic partnerships with the GCC during a meeting in Brussels.

The cooperation aims to further strengthen EU-GCC engagement, facilitating annual dialogue sessions on multilateral issues such as green transition and humanitarian action.