The future of the six-nation GCC — formed 36 years ago to bring together energy-rich Sunni Arab Gulf states — appeared to be hanging in the balance. This year’s meeting comes with Saudi Arabia and its allies engaged in a bitter dispute with fellow GCC member Qatar, in the worst crisis ever to hit the bloc. Kuwait invites boycott-hit Qatar to Gulf summitBahrain sent its deputy prime minister and Emirati media said the state minister for foreign affairs would represent Abu Dhabi. After cutting off all ties with Qatar, Saudi Arabia and its allies imposed a land, sea and air blockade of the emirate and issued a list of 13 demands to have it lifted. The Gulf states have approved a customs union, a common market, a single currency and a single central bank, but most of these have yet to be implemented.

Source: The Express Tribune December 05, 2017 11:48 UTC