Tajik President Emomali Rahmon arrived in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia on July 18 to participate in a summit of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and Central Asian countries that is taking place there on July 19.
The Tajik president’s official website says that at Jeddah International Airport, Emomali Rahmon was met by Makkah Province Governor Khalid bin Faisal Al Saud and some other Saudi high-ranking officials.
While in Saudi Arabia, Emomali Rahmon is reportedly also expected to hold talks with King of Saudi Arabia Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and some other high-ranking Saudi state officials.
Saudi media reports say the first Gulf-Central Asia summit aims to enhance cooperation and strengthen ties between the participating countries.
Zawya notes that the summit is being held in light of the growing regional and international interest and competition in the five Central Asian countries, in view of its location and geostrategic importance, and the natural resources that these countries possess, which qualify them for great developmental leaps.
The Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf (GCC) is a regional organization, with six members: The Kingdom of Bahrain, the State of Kuwait, the Sultanate of Oman, the State of Qatar, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
The bloc of Central Asian countries, also informally known as the C5 bloc, comprises Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan.
UAE’s Gulf News says foreign ministers from the GCC met their counterparts from the C5 block in Riyadh in September last year, and launched the GCC-Central Asia Strategic Dialogue.
The GCC-Central Asia Strategic Dialogue is reportedly a new arrangement to launch cooperation in all areas of mutual interest, including political and security dialogues, trade and investment cooperation, and cultural engagement.
Experts note that the Gulf countries have been actively investing in the Central Asian region, fostering economic partnerships and projects.
For instance, Kazakhstan received significant financial support from Saudi Arabia’s sovereign investment fund, signaling potential opportunities for further collaboration.
Uzbekistan secured investment agreements worth US$14 billion from Saudi Arabia and is witnessing increasing investments from the United Arab Emirates, particularly in its energy sector.
Qatar has also made substantial investments in the region, including a U$100 million project to construct the largest mosque in Tajikistan.
The creation of this format reportedly represents a new geopolitical rally of major projects in the region, drawing the attention of external players such as Russia, the United States, China, the European Union, Iran, and Turkey.
The GCC, functioning as an external actor, is presently seeking to adopt a unified approach towards the Central Asian countries.
The summit reportedly provides an opportunity to strengthen the presence of the Persian Gulf countries in Central Asia through a unified mechanism.
