A GCC-EU meeting in Manama placed Horn of Africa and Red Sea developments alongside bilateral cooperation, without announcing new security arrangements.
What was on the agenda?
The General Secretariat said Jasem Albudaiwi met the EU’s Horn of Africa representative Annette Weber on October 31, 2026, alongside the Manama Dialogue. They discussed political and security developments, related regional and international efforts, and stronger GCC-European cooperation. Gulf Cooperation Council General Secretariat
Maritime background: ships and crews
The European mandate page describes Aspides as a purely defensive operation protecting civilian ships and crews in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, focused on maritime safety and lives at sea. That defined operational task differs from the political dialogue in Manama. European External Action Service
Several tracks for economic cooperation
The European Commission’s open trade-consultation page describes possible regional or bilateral free-trade agreements, alongside strategic partnerships covering trade, investment and regulatory cooperation with GCC countries. Negotiations are supported by an assessment of potential economic, social, human-rights and environmental effects. European Commission Directorate-General for Trade and Economic Security
Bahrain illustrates an earlier partnership track
In a July publication, the Commission announced the launch of strategic-partnership negotiations with Bahrain, linking the proposed framework to security, stability, trade and economic cooperation. European Commission Directorate-General for the Middle East North Africa and the Gulf
