Newly famous, not yet successful.

Leaders of EU member states and members of the Gulf Cooperation Council attended the forum.

EU member states and Arab monarchies have long cooperated closely. The EU was founded in the 1950s and the GCC in the early 1980s. Yet, only now have the two sides established this framework for high-level bilateral meetings and dialogue. Though belated, this is still a significant historical milestone for both sides.

The only significant success of the event was the fact that it was held again. The two sides met in Brussels, Belgium, the headquarters of the EU. Members from both sides praised each other and affirmed their readiness to cooperate in areas such as trade, energy, and climate change. However, disagreements on global political issues and fundamental conflicts of interest on numerous matters remained unresolved. Therefore, while this high-level meeting between the EU and the GCC brought prestige to both sides, it cannot be considered a success.

Typical examples of the disagreement between the two sides are the Ukraine conflict and the Middle East conflict. The two sides lack a common voice, making coordinated action impossible. Ukraine is too far from the GCC, and the Middle East is not as close to the EU as it is to the GCC.

Nevertheless, what is undeniable about this historic event for the EU and the GCC is that both sides are aiming for enormous potential that they can both benefit from if they jointly explore it to serve their respective interests. The prospect of success after achieving recognition is certainly not without merit.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/moi-thanh-danh-chua-thanh-cong-185241018225428746.htm