Inaugural Association of Southeast Asian Nations-Gulf Cooperation Council Summit is scheduled for Friday in Riyadh

Southeast Asian leaders have started to arrive in the capital of Saudi Arabia for Friday's debut summit of the Gulf Cooperation Council and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. It is expected that a joint statement detailing the outcomes and strategies for collaboration for the years 2024–2028 will be released at the end of the summit. The forum offers leaders in Southeast Asia a rare chance to discuss working together with Gulf governments, especially on issues pertaining to energy security.

The ASEAN bloc, which consists of Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, and the Philippines, will interact with the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), which is made up of Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, and the United Arab Emirates.

Shared values such as strategic positions, economic advancement, international investment relationships, cultural development, and a dedication to global peace and stability form the foundation of the GCC-ASEAN relationship. These relationships began in March 1986 when contacts and economic discussions were first established. Their combined efforts to advance wealth, peace, and the welfare of their respective peoples are what make their partnership so important. Meetings with ministers, strategic discussions, and memorandums of understanding signed have all marked the GCC and ASEAN's cooperative path.

The next summit comes after a preliminary meeting in August that focused on fostering collaboration and fortifying ties in Riyadh.