Albudaiwi: Manama to Host 168th GCC Ministerial Council Meeting and the 9th Joint Ministerial Meeting of Strategic Dialogue between GCC and Russia

   Riyadh, October 17, 2026, SPA -- Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Jasem Albudaiwi stated that the 168th GCC Ministerial Council meeting will convene tomorrow, on October 18, 2026, in the Kingdom of Bahrain, under the chairmanship of Bahraini Minister of Foreign Affairs Dr. Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani, who is also chairman of the current session of the ministerial council, in the presence of the GCC ministers of foreign affairs. The 9th Joint Ministerial Meeting of the Strategic Dialogue between the GCC and the Russian Federation will also be held on its sidelines.
   The GCC secretary-general noted that the 168th ministerial council meeting will address several topics and files related to bolstering joint Gulf action, in addition to reviewing the latest regional and international developments.
   He also explained that the 9th Joint Ministerial Meeting of the Strategic Dialogue between the GCC and the Russian Federation comes within the framework of the noble directives of the GCC leaders, aimed at consolidating ties with various countries and regional blocs, as well as building effective strategic partnerships that cement the GCC's presence on the international stage.
   Albudaiwi pointed out that the ministerial meeting will discuss several agenda items to explore avenues for advancing joint cooperation on one hand, and exchange views on a number of regional and international issues on the other.
   He underlined that, since the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding for Strategic Dialogue in November 2011, both sides have continued to advance their joint efforts to propel GCC-Russian ties toward broader horizons, serving mutual interests across various fields.
   -- SPA