EU-GCC Enhanced Political Dialogue

Countries from the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf (GCC) are putting in place ambitious economic diversification and social transformation programmes. The EU, as a partner of choice, accompanies this process, given its strong trade and political ties with the region and individual countries as well as its stake in the regional stability. For this reason, the EU and its Gulf partners signed bilateral Cooperation Arrangements.

This shows the strong commitment from both sides to a vibrant dialogue through information sharing, experts' meetings and consultations to enhance mutual understanding.

The EU also supports region-to-region dialogue and regional integration as the cornerstone of future cooperation in the GCC and of regional peace and stability.

Following the EU Joint Communication on a 'Strategic Partnership with the Gulf', the initiative strengthens the relationship and the alliance between the EU and the GCC individual countries and region based on mutual interest. This is achieved by enhancing the EU-GCC political dialogue, cooperation and outreach, and by combining support to the political dialogue with a strong people-to-people outreach.

To this end, the project:

• helps design and implement country specific strategies and EU-GCC regional engagement strategy to accompany the roll out of the country national visions and the bilateral and regional Cooperation Arrangements;
• supports the provision of policy analysis and studies, which is gender and youth responsive where possible;
• supports the regional and bilateral meetings;
• boosts outreach and exchange between governmental and non-governmental stakeholders from both regions through thematic platforms or other relevant mechanisms;
• designs communication campaigns in traditional and social media.