GROWING economic and strategic ties between the 10-member ASEAN bloc and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) are vital for long-term regional and global prospects, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said today.
Speaking at the Second ASEAN-GCC Summit in Kuala Lumpur, Anwar said: “In 2023, the GCC was ASEAN’s seventh largest trading partner, with total trade reaching US$130.7 billion. Investment is also growing, reflecting increasing confidence in the long-term prospects of our partnership.”
He noted that the ASEAN-GCC Framework of Cooperation 2024–2028, adopted at the inaugural summit in 2023, provides a comprehensive roadmap for collaboration across political-security, economic, and socio-cultural pillars.
Anwar stressed that the relationship “has never been more important than it is today, as we navigate an increasingly complex global landscape marked by economic uncertainty and geopolitical challenges”.
“Today’s deliberations will be crucial in ensuring that our partnership remains dynamic, responsive, and impactful. Let us use today’s summit to reaffirm our collective ambition and translate our shared vision into concrete and impactful cooperation,” he added.
The summit drew attendance from a full slate of ASEAN leaders including Brunei’s Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah, Indonesia’s President Prabowo Subianto, Cambodia’s Prime Minister Hun Manet, Laos’ Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone, Vietnam’s Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., Singapore’s Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, and Thailand’s Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra. Timor-Leste’s Prime Minister Kay Rala Xanana Gusmao attended as Observer, along with ASEAN Secretary-General Dr Kao Kim Hourn.
Representing the GCC were Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, Bahrain’s Crown Prince and Prime Minister Salman Hamad Al Khalifa, Kuwait’s Crown Prince Sheikh Sabah Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah, Oman’s Deputy Prime Minister Sayyid Asaad bin Tarik al Said, Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister Prince Faisal Farhan Al Saud, and UAE Supreme Council Member Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi.
Crown Prince Sheikh Sabah said trade between ASEAN and the GCC is projected to rise by 30 per cent to US$180 billion by 2032, driven by “increased investment and market confidence, demonstrating the vast potential of our proactive economic policies”.
He highlighted the combined economic and strategic weight of both blocs, which represent a joint GDP of approximately US$6 trillion and a population of some 740 million. “Our partnership includes some of the world’s most important trade routes and maritime corridors, with direct implications for regional stability and global economic growth,” he said.
Sheikh Sabah called for progress in free trade agreement negotiations, stronger cooperation in supply chains and investment, and closer coordination on global security and crisis response.
He also underscored GCC’s stance on international law and sovereignty: “We reaffirm our commitment to open dialogue, mutual respect for sovereignty, and non-interference in internal affairs.”
Touching on the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, he said: “We are deeply concerned about the ongoing humanitarian situation. The GCC reiterates its support for the establishment of an independent Palestinian state based on 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital.”
He urged the international community to act decisively to end the violence and to relaunch a peace process rooted in international law and the Arab Peace Initiative. - May 27, 2025
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