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The GCC Secretariat General announced that Manama is scheduled to host the 168th session of the GCC Ministerial Council on October 18 along with the ninth Joint Ministerial Meeting for the strategic dialogue between the GCC and the Russian Federation. GCC Secretary General Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi stated that the Ministerial Council meeting will take place under the chairmanship of Bahrain Foreign Minister Dr Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani. The gathering will include foreign ministers from all six GCC member states and will address multiple topics related to strengthening joint Gulf cooperation while reviewing the latest regional and international developments. Albudaiwi added that the ministerial council will focus on files aimed at bolstering collective action among the member states.
Albudaiwi noted that the strategic dialogue meeting with Russia occurs in line with directives from GCC leaders to build effective partnerships with countries and regional groups. The session will examine agenda items aimed at advancing mutual cooperation and exchanging perspectives on various regional and international matters. Such engagements form part of sustained efforts to elevate GCC-Russian relations across multiple sectors according to the secretariat.
The GCC Secretariat General reported that the strategic dialogue framework dates back to the signing of a memorandum of understanding in November 2011. Both sides have since pursued joint initiatives to expand ties in ways that serve shared interests in diverse fields. Albudaiwi highlighted that these meetings help consolidate the GCC’s international presence through strategic partnerships as outlined in the secretariat statement.
A Russian foreign ministry release indicated that GCC-Russia trade increased sevenfold between 2021 and the end of 2024. A May 2025 paper from the Gulf Research Center found that Russia had nearly $11 billion of combined exchanges with the United Arab Emirates and $3.7 billion with Saudi Arabia in 2023. Trade with the remaining GCC states remained considerably smaller during that period according to the same assessment.
Albudaiwi explained that the upcoming Manama meetings will continue this trajectory by exploring opportunities to broaden coordination in political, commercial and other areas. The GCC Secretariat General has indicated readiness to discuss additional areas including tourism and cybersecurity in future engagements with Russia. These discussions occur as the GCC maintains focus on economic integration and stability amid broader geopolitical shifts in the region according to the secretary general.
