As if to answer the skeptics about the Camp David summit’s outcome, GCC and US officials met last week to flesh out some of the decisions made at that historical summit. Over a hundred American and GCC senior officials and experts took part in the meeting, which was held at the GCC Headquarters in Riyadh on June 9 and 10.
Only a few weeks ago, the birth of “GCC-US Strategic Partnership” was announced at Camp David on May 14, after two days of discussions between GCC and US top leaders about regional security. That move represented a quantum leap in their relationship, which has witnessed a gradual enhancement since President Barack Obama assumed office in January 2009. In his Cairo speech in June 2009, Obama proposed a new era for US-Muslim mutual understanding and cooperation after years of hostility following the Sept. 11 attacks and the anti-Muslim rhetoric coming out of Washington under the influence of Neo-Conservatives.
It is regrettable that Obama’s speech did not lead to substantial improvement in US relations with the Muslim world, where US image is still negative even in countries considered to be its allies, such as Afghanistan and Pakistan.
By contrast, GCC-US relations have experienced an upsurge. I am not referring to US relations with individual member states, which have always been robust, but the relationship with the GCC as a regional organization. Under previous administrations, especially during George W. Bush’s tenure (2001-2009), the US avoided dealing with the GCC as a group, with the exception of annual foreign ministers’ meetings at the UN General Assembly’s sidelines, and general consultations about terrorism financing and the like. However, since its inauguration, the Obama Administration has expressed a desire to up its engagement level with the GCC on regional issues, trade and investment, combating terrorism, among other issues.
Those contacts resulted in the establishment of the “GCC-US Strategic Cooperation Forum,” announced on March 31, 2012 during a joint foreign ministers’ meeting at the GCC headquarters in Riyadh.
There were several factors contributing to that transformation, including:
First, the US began to appreciate the degree and value of GCC integration, its growing role in regional issues, including Yemen, Libya, Syria, and its increased ability to move quickly as a unit to face regional challenges.
Second, the US (and the rest of the world) needed a reliable partner in facing regional threats; most importantly Iran’s destabilizing activities and globalized terrorism. As the broader region sank into chaos and instability since 2011, the GCC remained an oasis of stability.
Third is economics: Contrary to most other regions’ experience with the global financial crisis, the GCC region survived almost unscathed. While the US economy and the rest of the world went through a long period of negative growth, the GCC maintained healthy growth rates; GCC combined GDP doubled during the past seven years, reaching $1.75 trillion last year and is expected to double again over the coming decade. As such, GCC region represents a growing market for US products and a source for two-way investments.
Fourth is energy: GCC countries are still the main actors in oil markets and in proven reserves. Despite US decreasing oil imports, GCC states remain instrumental for global oil stability (in prices and supplies). Its decisions on those issues affect the world economy directly, and health of the US economy is greatly dependent on global growth.
So after three years of establishing the GCC-US Strategic Cooperation Forum in 2012, it was time to raise the level another notch, to the “strategic partnership” as announced in Camp David on May 14, 2015.
The senior officials’ meeting held in Riyadh last week put together a road map for implementing Camp David key decisions, covering the coming 12 months, i.e., to enable the two sides to present real progress during the next meeting of heads of state, planned for 2016. This “strategic partnership” is based on four key pillars: Jointly tackling regional challenges; restoring peace, security and stability in neighboring countries; contributing to greater prosperity of both sides through trade, investment, and technical cooperation in a wide range of issues; and finally enhancing people-to-people contacts through cultural and educational exchanges.
While the Riyadh meeting last week focused on strategic issues, other areas are covered in other fora. For example, Doha will host the GCC-US 3rd Dialogue on Trade and Investment on June 15-16, 2015, to further develop tools for expanding two-way trade and investment and discuss challenges thereof. On the margins, an important meeting will be held between GCC and US business leaders.
