Leaders from all six Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states are set to hold their 39th annual meeting on Sunday, despite ongoing tensions between Qatar and host country Saudi Arabia.

The important gathering, which usually features the heads of state of the six GCC nations, is taking place 18 months into an economic boycott of Qatar by Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Egypt and Bahrain. 

The four Arab nations accuse Qatar of supporting violence and interfering in their states’ affairs. Qatar has denied the allegations.

Last week, Qatar announced plans to withdraw from the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) from January next year, stating a desire to set its own oil and gas production targets. The UAE described Doha’s decision as a reflection of the decline of its “role and influence”.

Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim Al-Thani received a letter from Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz inviting him to attend the GCC summit, the Qatar News Agency announced on Twitter last Tuesday.

The website of the Saudi-based Arab News newspaper quoted the GCC Secretary General Abdul Latif Al-Zayani saying that the top Gulf Arab leaders “will discuss a number of important issues in Gulf joint action and what has been achieved in the framework of achieving Gulf integration and cooperation in the political, defense, economic and legal fields.”

“They will also consider the reports and recommendations submitted by the relevant ministerial committees and the general secretariat,” the newspaper added, quoting Al-Zayani.

Last year’s GCC summit took place in Kuwait, also in December. It came only six months after the start of the political tension in June. At the time, Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Bahrain sent ministers or deputy prime ministers to attend the annual event, while Qatar’s Emir personally attended the event.

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(Compiled by Yasmine Saleh; Editing by Michael Fahy)

(yasmine.saleh@refinitiv.com)

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