BRUSSELS: The European Union (EU) has a lot to gain from stronger ties and from building bridges with the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and its member states, an EU official told journalists in Brussels. The Gulf is a dynamic region, strongly connected with Asia, Europe and Africa, he said, on condition of anonymity.

The official was speaking on the sidelines of the European Council President Charles Michel's visit, to Saudi Arabia on Tuesday, as part of a regional trip to the Gulf, to step up the partnership between the EU and the GCC countries. The EU adopted, in June this year, a Joint Communication on 'A Strategic Partnership with the Gulf'. The global order as "we know it, has been profoundly challenged in the last couple of years - with the Covid-19 pandemic, the war in Ukraine, terrorism, growing food and energy insecurity," he said.

Saudi Arabia, the most populated country in the region and a member of the G20, is undergoing significant economic and societal transformations, said the official. Michel's visit to Jeddah was the first by a President of the European Council and the first high-level EU visit in a long time to the kingdom, he noted.

Meanwhile, discussions between Michel and the Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman held previously, focused on bilateral EU-Saudi relations, improving trade and investments between the EU and Saudi Arabia, as well as between the EU and the GCC bloc. Further on, they discussed global issues -climate change being the most important common challenge that was highlighted in the meeting.

"Climate change is closely linked to energy security and it is important to successfully accomplish the transition towards carbon neutrality," explained the EU official. On security issues, the two sides discussed ways to develop strong political dialogue on issues of mutual interest pertaining to global peace and security such as the war in Ukraine, Iran, Iraq, Yemen, Syria, Lebanon and the fight against terrorism. Regular exchanges on these matters is expected to enhance mutual understanding, stressed the EU official.

The human rights dialogue that the EU has established with Saudi Arabia is an important tool to engage with Saudi partners, he added. Besides the meeting with the Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman, Michel also met with a number of Saudi ministers over a working lunch, as well as with Hussein Ibrahim Taha, Secretary General of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation and also met a group of Saudi women representing Shura Council, businesses, academia, arts, media in Jeddah.

Meanwhile, Michel also visited Doha on Sept 7 and met with the Amir of Qatar Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, and on Sept 8, he visited Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates and met with Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the United Arab Emirates. The GCC, established in the early 80s was formed, to bolster inter-Gulf cooperation in diverse fields across Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE. - KUNA