High Representative/Vice-President Borrell and Commissioner Lenarčič attended the 27th Joint Cooperation Council in Muscat

Today, HR/VP Josep Borrell and Commissioner for Crisis Management, Janez Lenarčič, attended the meeting between the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the European Union and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), gathered on the occasion of the 27th Joint Council in Muscat, Oman.

The EU-GCC Joint Council was co-chaired by the HR/VP Borrell alongside the current Omani GCC Presidency, represented by Sayyid Badr bin Hamad Al Busaidi, Foreign Minister of Oman.

In line with the scope of the meeting to further consolidate the strategic partnership between the two sides, the gathering also provided a unique platform to showcase the evolution of the efforts on global emergency response, as well as the opportunity to share key achievements and lessons learnt.

Being among the world's leading donors, the EU and GCC Member States play a key role in the delivery of principled humanitarian assistance and in advocating for the respect of the International Humanitarian Law.

Ministers committed to work together to reinforce humanitarian assistance and to further strengthen the cooperation and coordination between the EU and the GCC to better respond to new global challenges.

After the Council, HR/VP Borrell, the Omani Foreign Minister, Sayyid Badr bin Hamad Al Busaidi, and the GCC General Secretary, Jasem Mohamed Al Budaiwi, will hold a press conference at around 15:00 local time (13:00 CEST), that will be broadcast live on EbS.

Commissioner for Crisis Management, Janez Lenarčič, said: “At a time of rapid increasing of humanitarian needs globally, the partnership between the EU and other leading donors is of key importance. The meeting between the EU and the Gulf Cooperation Council in Oman could not have been timelier, as we are facing growing number of global and regional challenges and when the number of people in need of humanitarian aid but foremost of true peace efforts and development cooperation for a hopeful future has never been bigger. I thank the Gulf Cooperation Council for this opportunity to address humanitarian aid challenges and build concrete joint actions, paving the way for a more effective and impactful response.”