Gulf Asia Cooperation: Prospects, Challenges and Implications for Europe

The past decade has witnessed a significant strengthening of ties between the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and key Asian countries. This burgeoning relationship spans multiple dimensions - economic, political, and cultural - rooted in mutual interests and strategic priorities. Concurrently, Europe has also cultivated deeper relations with Asia. The European Union (EU) maintains comprehensive partnerships with major Asian powers, particularly South Korea, India, and Japan. These relationships have taken on renewed significance in light of recent global developments: the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Europe's resulting energy crisis, the ongoing transformation of the global order, and escalating United States-China tensions. These factors have underscored the critical importance of enhanced EU-Asia collaboration, especially within the GCC region. This discussion brings together experts who have examined these complex relationships through various lenses. Their analysis addresses several crucial questions: · How have Gulf-Asia relations evolved, and what implications does this hold for European engagement in the region? · What opportunities and challenges does strengthening Gulf-Asia cooperation present for Europe's vision of open strategic autonomy and initiatives like the EU's Global Gateway? · How can Europe effectively leverage and contribute to Gulf states' third-party partnerships? · Given their strategic geographic position, how can Gulf states facilitate Asian connectivity projects while ensuring European interests are served? · Do the GCC's relationships with Asia and Europe operate as complementary or substitutionary forces, and what are the implications for future regional cooperation and global strategic partnerships?