The Ministerial Council of the GCC foreign ministers held here today its 143rd session under chairmanship of Sheikh Khalid bin Ahmed bin Mohammed Al Khalifa, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Bahrain and chairman of the current session. .
Dr. Anwar bin Mohammed Gargash, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, led the UAE delegation during the meeting.
In his opening speech, Sheikh Khalid bin Ahmed bin Mohammed Al Khalifa, affirmed that the GCC leaders' Summit with the President of the United States, Donald Trump, reflects the pivotal role played by the GCC countries in consolidating the foundations of peace and stability regionally and internationally.
He added that the meeting aimed to prepare for the 17th GCC leaders’ consultative meeting and for the USA-GCC Summit, to be held in Riyadh during the visit of President Donald Trump to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
This meeting reflects the important role of the GCC countries in light of their responsible positions and continuous efforts in facing the challenges and threats facing the region and the world and in light of their keenness to deepen partnership and cooperation with effective allies, in order to establish prosperity in the region and achieve development and prosperity for their countries, the minister said.
Secretary-General of the GCC Dr. Abdul Latif bin Rashid Al-Zayani said that the Ministerial Council discussed the topics to be presented to the 17th consultative meeting of the GCC leaders scheduled for Sunday 21 May 2017 in addition to the topics to be discussed at the summits to be hosted in Riyadh on May 21, 2017, during the visit of US President Donald Trump to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
He said that the ministers discussed a number of topics and made the necessary recommendations in this regard to the GCC leaders in their consultative meeting.
"The ministers discussed the political, security and humanitarian situation in Yemen, especially the threat of a cholera epidemic in a number of Yemeni governorates, and decided to refer this issue to the Committee of Ministers of Health in the GCC countries urgently to send medical assistance to Yemen through coordination and cooperation with King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre,'' he added.
 
Source: WAM