Diplomacy

Leaders from the six nation Gulf Co-operation Council meet in Saudi Arabia this week. After months of discussions the rift between Qatar and other GCC members appears to have been healed, opening the prospect for a unified approach to the challenges ahead.

Kuwait has been mediating between the two sides for several months. The re-opening of the border comes just hours before the launch of the 41st GCC Summit in Saudi Arabia.

The forty-first session of the Supreme Council of the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf will be held tomorrow in Al-Ula Governorate, in Saudi Arabia.  The summit is expected to provide a real opportunity to overcome a number of challenges facing the region, the most important of which is the unity of the Gulf  states efforts to confront the pandemic and restore economic growth for the countries of the region.

Egypt, Ethiopia and Sudan have held multiple rounds of talks since Ethiopia broke ground on the project in 2011 but they have so far failed to produce an agreement on the filling and operation of the vast reservoir behind the 145-meter tall dam.

“Our priorities as Chair will be to emphasize the fundamental tasks of the OSCE; defending the European security order, upholding the OSCE concept of comprehensive security and to contribute to resolving the conflicts in our region", said incoming OSCE Chairperson Swedish Foreign Minister Ann Linde.

Charles Michel, President of the European Council: "On major issues, the European Union stands ready to work shoulder to shoulder with the United Kingdom. This will be the case on climate change, ahead of the COP 26 in Glasgow, and on the global response to pandemics, in particular with a possible treaty on pandemics. On foreign affairs, we will seek cooperation on specific issues based on shared values and interests."

Following last week's swearing-in of the new president of Moldova, Maia Sandu, speculation has increased about the future of talks with the country's break-away region of Transnistria. Sandu is expected to discuss the issue with the Ukrainian leadership when she pays her first official visit overseas as president, visiting Kiev.