EU-GCC Summit in Riyadh Postponed

RIYADH, Oct 15: The second European Union-Gulf Cooperation Council (EU-GCC) Summit, scheduled to take place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on Oct 24, has been postponed, with a new date to be announced in due course.

In a statement issued Thursday, the European Union reaffirmed the strategic importance of its partnership with the GCC, expressing its commitment to strengthening relations between the two regions and maintaining the momentum established at their first summit in October 2024.

The EU did not provide a reason for the postponement.

The decision comes amid heightened regional tensions and reports of attacks targeting several Saudi airports since Oct 5. The incidents have reportedly left 20 people dead and hundreds injured, besides causing material damage and disruptions to air traffic.

Saudi Arabia has led a military coalition supporting Yemen’s internationally recognized government against the Houthi movement since 2015. The Houthis took control of the capital, Sanaa, and several other provinces in 2014.

The postponement comes as regional security concerns remain a key issue for Gulf states and their international partners. However, the EU has not linked the summit’s postponement to the reported attacks or regional tensions.