Today's Edition
BRUSSELS (WAM)
Foreign Ministers from the Gulf Cooperation Council and the European Union met Tuesday at the High Level Forum on Regional Security and Cooperation in Brussels to discuss regional developments in the Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz. Lana Nusseibeh, Minister of State, represented the UAE.
The meeting was co-convened by EU High Representative Kaja Kallas, GCC Secretary General Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi, and Bahrain’s Foreign Minister Dr Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani, and took place on the sidelines of the Foreign Affairs Council of EU ministers.
Nusseibeh also conducted a series of high-level political consultations in Brussels with European counterparts, including the Foreign Ministers of Malta, Chris Fearne; Lithuania, Kęstutis Budrys; Romania, Oana-Silvia Toiu; and Slovenia, Tone Kajzer, as well as her counterparts from Denmark, Norway and Slovakia. She also met Maroš Šefčovič, the European Commissioner for Trade and Economic Security.
On regional stability and geopolitics, Nusseibeh discussed the evolving security landscape across the Middle East and Gulf, including the post-Hormuz environment.
Nusseibeh said, “We are closely aligned with our European partners when it comes to peace and security in the Gulf and the freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz. The present situation is not just a regional problem, but one that directly impacts global economic and security interests.
"The UAE is clear that targeting commercial shipping or using the Strait of Hormuz as a tool of economic coercion or blackmail is unacceptable. Such actions amount to piracy and pose a direct threat to regional stability, the security of its peoples, and global energy security. Ultimately, our shared goal is to achieve enduring peace, stability, and security in the Gulf and across our wider regional neighbourhood.”
Focusing on trade and economic partnerships, Nusseibeh also met with Commissioner Šefčovič to discuss progress on negotiations for a bilateral UAE-EU Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement, aimed at reducing a broad range of existing trade barriers. The UAE is already the EU's largest export market and investment partner in the Middle East and North Africa, with bilateral trade exceeding €94 billion annually.
Nusseibeh said, “The agreement we are pursuing with the European Union is about far more than tariffs. The UAE and the EU are not simply trading partners; we are strategic partners with complementary strengths. Europe brings technology leadership, regulatory excellence, and market depth, while the UAE contributes capital, global connectivity, energy supply flexibility, and access to fast-growing markets across the Middle East, Africa, and Asia.
“Emirati investment is already supporting European semiconductor manufacturing, data centres, and clean energy infrastructure. As Europe and the UAE navigate many of the same challenges - from energy security to resilient supply chains and economic competitiveness - we are reaching the same conclusion: that closer partnership is the most effective path forward.
“Since launching its Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement program in 2021, the UAE has concluded more than 37 agreements with strategic partners around the world, demonstrating our enduring commitment to open, rules-based trade and mutually beneficial economic cooperation. We see our future CEPA with the European Union as one of the most significant of these agreements - not simply as a trade agreement, but as the foundation of a broader strategic partnership built on trust, resilience, openness, and shared ambition. Once concluded, it will expand trade, unlock new investment opportunities, strengthen supply chains, and deepen business-to-business cooperation.
“The current challenges facing our region have reinforced the importance of close coordination between the UAE and Europe. At a time of heightened geopolitical uncertainty, investing in enduring partnerships is essential to advancing stability, prosperity, and shared security. That is what we are building together,” she added.
Nusseibeh also took part in the Palestine Donor Group Meeting in Brussels, where participants reaffirmed their shared commitment to advancing peace and addressing the urgent humanitarian needs in Gaza.
Discussions underscored the importance of supporting the Board of Peace and its plan for Gaza's recovery and governance, as well as the need for sustained international cooperation to create the conditions for a lasting peace between Israelis and Palestinians.
