The joint ministerial meeting between the Cooperation Council and the United States of America was held on September 25, 2024 in New York, chaired by the Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the State of Qatar, Chairman of the current session of the Ministerial Council of the Cooperation Council, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, and the Secretary of State of the United States of America, Antony Blinken, with the participation of the foreign ministers of the Cooperation Council countries, and the Secretary-General of the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf, Jassim Al-Budaiwi.

The ministers affirmed their shared commitment to the strategic partnership between the GCC and the United States, and to building on the achievements of previous ministerial meetings, including the most recent meeting held in Riyadh on April 29, 2024, to enhance consultation, coordination and cooperation in all areas.

The Palestinian-Israeli conflict

The ministers expressed their support for the establishment of an independent and viable Palestinian state living side by side in peace and security with Israel along the 1967 borders, with mutually agreed land swaps, in accordance with internationally recognized parameters and the 2002 Arab Peace Initiative.

The ministers stressed the need for all displaced civilians after October 7 to return to their homes, and affirmed their belief that lasting peace would be the foundation for a more integrated, stable and prosperous region. They emphasized the need to intensify efforts to enhance capacity, effectiveness and transparency within the Palestinian Authority in accordance with agreed mechanisms.

The ministers stressed the need for a unified Palestinian-led government in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank under the Palestinian Authority, and renewed their commitment to supporting Palestinian aspirations for self-determination and ensuring that Palestinians are at the heart of governance and security in Gaza after the conflict.

The ministers also expressed their support for improving the quality of life of Palestinians, including through humanitarian aid and efforts to accelerate Palestinian economic growth.

The ministers expressed their deep concern about the rising levels of settler and other extremist violence against Palestinians in the West Bank, and stressed the need to hold the perpetrators accountable.

They stressed the need to refrain from unilateral actions, including settlement expansion, that impede the prospects for genuine peace and security for Israelis and Palestinians.

The ministers noted the importance of protecting all holy sites and places of worship, as well as preserving the historical status quo of Jerusalem, while acknowledging the special role of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan in this regard.

Gaza

The ministers pledged to work together to achieve an immediate and sustainable ceasefire and the release of hostages and detainees, consistent with the parameters set by President Biden on May 31, 2024, and UN Security Council Resolution 2735.

The ministers called on the parties to refrain from actions that would undermine efforts to make progress on the diplomatic track.

In this regard, they commended the mediation efforts of Qatar, Egypt and the United States, as noted in the joint statement issued on August 8 regarding the urgent need for a ceasefire and the release of hostages and detainees, and stressed the need for all parties to abide by international law, including, as appropriate, international humanitarian law and obligations relating to the protection of civilians.

The ministers noted the generous support provided by the GCC countries and the United States in delivering aid to Gaza, stressing the essential role played by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) in distributing life-saving assistance.

The ministers called for a rapid increase in the delivery of humanitarian aid on a large scale and without hindrance, including food, water, medical care, fuel and shelter. They stressed the urgent need to restore basic services and ensure the protection of humanitarian workers, and for all stakeholders to urgently facilitate humanitarian aid distribution networks throughout Gaza to deliver aid to alleviate the suffering of Palestinians. They emphasized that all parties must ensure the safety and security of relief workers carrying out life-saving work and the effectiveness of humanitarian operations.

The ministers stressed the importance of Egypt and Israel reaching an agreement to reopen the Rafah crossing to facilitate the delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza, and committed to continuing to work together on aspects of governance, security and early recovery in Gaza.

Iran

The ministers expressed their deep concern about the recent escalation in the region and its negative impact on regional security and stability. They also stressed the importance of compliance with international law, including the Charter of the United Nations, and respect for the sovereignty, political independence and territorial integrity of states.

The ministers expressed their deep concern about the proliferation of advanced ballistic missiles and drones that threaten regional security and undermine international peace and security.

The GCC and the United States affirmed their commitment to working together to address Iran’s activities in the region, including threats to sovereignty and territorial integrity and support for non-state actors seeking to destabilize the region, and expressed their support for diplomatic efforts aimed at promoting de-escalation.

The ministers affirmed their commitment to ensuring freedom of navigation and maritime security in the region's waterways, and their determination to deter illegal actions by the Houthis that threaten the lives and safety of sailors, shipping lanes, international trade, and oil installations in the GCC countries.

The ministers affirmed their support for the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons and renewed their call for Iran to cooperate fully with the International Atomic Energy Agency, to cease nuclear expansions that lack a credible civilian justification, and to stop undermining the agency’s efforts to verify that Iran’s nuclear program is purely peaceful.

The ministers affirmed their position that regional tensions should be resolved by peaceful means, and they also affirmed their support for the United Arab Emirates’ call for a peaceful resolution to the dispute over the three islands of Greater Tunb, Lesser Tunb and Abu Musa through bilateral negotiations or the International Court of Justice, in accordance with the rules of international law, including the Charter of the United Nations.

Yemen

The ministers expressed their deep concern about the humanitarian situation of the Yemeni civilian population and stressed the need for the Houthis to allow safe, rapid and unhindered access for humanitarian aid to all those in need.

The ministers noted that the Houthi attacks – both inside and outside Yemen – harm the Yemeni people above all, and called for the immediate release of all UN, NGO and diplomatic staff illegally detained by the Houthis.

The ministers called for the full implementation of Security Council Resolution 2722, stressed the importance of maintaining maritime security, and demanded that the Houthis cease attacks against ships in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden.

They stressed the importance of collective action to ensure freedom of navigation in the Red Sea and to respond to activities that threaten regional and global security and stability.

The ministers affirmed their strong support for and continued engagement in a meaningful and comprehensive peace process, within the framework of the Gulf Cooperation Council initiative, the outcomes of the National Dialogue in Yemen and Security Council Resolution 2216, to resolve the long-standing conflict in Yemen.

The ministers commended the ongoing efforts of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Sultanate of Oman to promote inclusive Yemeni dialogue and provide economic and humanitarian assistance to Yemen.

Kuwait and Iraq

The ministers recalled their decision taken at their meeting on September 18, 2023, and stressed the importance of Iraq’s commitment to Kuwait’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and respect for international agreements and United Nations resolutions, especially Security Council Resolution 833, regarding the demarcation of the border between Kuwait and Iraq. They called for the complete demarcation of the maritime border between Kuwait and Iraq beyond border point 162, and called on the Iraqi government to ensure that the 2012 Kuwait-Iraq Agreement on Maritime Navigation in Khor Abdullah remains in force.

The ministers expressed their support for Security Council Resolution 2732 (2024), which mandated the Secretary-General of the United Nations to facilitate progress towards resolving all outstanding issues between Iraq and Kuwait, including the repatriation of all Kuwaitis and third-country nationals or their remains, and the return of Kuwaiti property and the national archives.

The ministers noted the important role that the United Nations plays now and in the future in implementing Security Council Resolution 1284 and ensuring continued progress in resolving these issues, and called on Iraq to make every effort to reach a solution to all the issues concerned.

Strategic partnership between the Gulf Cooperation Council and the United States of America

The ministers affirmed their shared commitment to contributing to regional security, stability and prosperity within the framework of the strategic partnership between the GCC and the United States. They also affirmed their mutual commitment to building closer relations in all areas, including defense and security cooperation, and developing a collective approach to regional issues.

The ministers commended the efforts made by the integrated working groups on air and missile defense and maritime security between the GCC and the United States in Riyadh on May 22, and stressed the essential role of the two working groups in enhancing strategic cooperation between the two sides.

The ministers also commended the early warning study conducted by the GCC as part of the Integrated Air and Missile Defense Working Group meeting held in September in Alabama.

They also commended the successful fifth meeting of the GCC-US Trade and Investment Dialogue held in June in Washington, and acknowledged the importance of the joint meeting on the Small Modular Reactor Study Round held in September.

The ministers expressed their interest in continuing future working group meetings between the GCC and the United States.

The ministers emphasized the importance of the principles of integration, tolerance and peaceful coexistence for relations between countries, as stated in the Bahrain Declaration issued on May 16, 2024, and stressed the importance of providing educational and health services to those affected by conflicts in the region.

The ministers affirmed their condemnation of violence and hatred, including religious hatred, such as Islamophobia and anti-Semitism, and called on all states to respect and guarantee the human rights of all individuals within their territories and subject to their jurisdiction, as provided for in relevant international law.

The ministers took note of Security Council Resolution 2686, which recognized that hate speech, racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related forms of intolerance, gender discrimination and acts of extremism can contribute to the outbreak, escalation and recurrence of conflicts.