Qatar to host 44th GCC summit Tuesday

Qatar has completed preparations to host the 44th Summit of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Supreme Council, set to be held Tuesday.His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani will lead the well-wishers to welcome leaders of the GCC countries, upon their arrival on Tuesday in the country to participate in the summit.The 44th session is being held during special circumstances at the regional and international levels, as the summit is expected to address the most pressing regional and international issues, notably the ongoing Israeli aggression against the Gaza Strip since Oct. 7, in addition to other economic, political and security files, as well as the summit's most prominent topic of strengthening relations among the GCC countries, increasing co-ordination among them and crystallising a unified GCC vision on various regional and international issues.Observers expect that the 44th summit will provide a strong push and renewed start to the GCC work path, based on Qatar's keenness and firm approach to supporting GCC's progress and preserving its unity and cohesion, as it stands as a strong, integrated and indispensable system in the face of the regional challenges.A number of intellectuals and writers affirmed that the historical and cultural unity that brings together the peoples of the region represents a source of inspiration for unity and strengthens the bonds of brotherhood among the Gulf peoples.The 44th session will discuss several important issues, notably the completion of the Gulf Electricity Interconnection project, which has seen rapid progress, the most prominent of which is the GCC-Iraq Electrical Interconnection Project.The Gulf Electricity Interconnection Project represents an aspect of co-operation among the region's fossil fuel-rich countries, aimed at supporting network stability during peak times. The project has expanded to other Arab countries, starting with Iraq, with aspirations to extend to Europe. This comes amid expectations of a slowdown in the growth of electricity demand in the GCC countries until 2025, opening opportunities for the region to export surplus electricity.Many media reports have indicated that a Pan-GCC visa is on the table for approval by Gulf leaders during the summit. GCC Secretary General Jassim al-Budaiwi first announced the Unified GCC Tourist Visa Project at the 40th meeting of the Interior Ministers of the GCC. The announcement also indicated that the visa is expected to come into effect between 2024 and 2025 across the member states.