Wisdom behind participating in the GCC summit

The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) has seen continuous successes since its first summit in Abu Dhabi in 1981, especially on the economic front. Like any organisation, the council has gone through times of strengths and weakness, yet its foundations have remained strong. These are trying times for the council and the region, and the boycott of Qatar will continue until the country amends its course. The GCC has, since its formation, contributed to finding solutions to crises in the region including the Iran-Iraq war and the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait. The council’s actions have been based on the principle that an assault on any one member state would mean an assault on the GCC as a whole.

The fact that the GCC countries will be attending the forthcoming summit, scheduled to be held in Kuwait within a couple of days, does not mean that the members are turning a blind eye to Qatar’s belligerent policies. The invite to all members by the Amir of Kuwait to attend the summit is a ray of hope, and the members accepting the invite shows the stature the Amir has in the hearts of GCC leaders. It also goes to show how serious the GCC is to maintain the security of the Gulf, which Qatar is a part of. The council believes that Qatar will soon get on to the right path in its own interest and in the interest of the region. However, Qatar’s participation in the Kuwait summit alone will not ensure an end to the crisis. The country must adhere to the six principles and 13 conditions the organisation had put forward earlier. The Quartet boycotting Qatar — Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Egypt and Bahrain — is working closely to fight terrorism. And no steps regarding Qatar will be taken without consent from these nations. The wise minds of Riyadh, Abu Dhabi and Manama will not disregard the achievements of the Gulf Cooperation Council; instead they will work together to enhance the bloc while at the same time adhering to its established principles.