On Monday 22 April, the EU’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs, Josep Borrell, announced the launch of a new ‘Young Leaders in Regional Diplomacy’ programme.
“For the first time, young diplomats from the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and the GCC Member States will participate in a joint training with diplomats from the European Union and the European Union Member States” at the European Diplomatic Academy in Bruges, he announced at the first high-level forum on regional security and cooperation between the EU and the GCC in Luxembourg.
“We are already laying the foundations for increased cooperation between our diplomats in the future. And this will be a cornerstone for getting closer to each other, to understand better each other and to work better together in the future”, he explained.
For the High Representative, the high level of participation in the forum bears witness to the importance that both parties attach to their relationship and to their shared desire to strengthen their dialogue on security and cooperation between the EU, the GCC and the Member States.
“In times of turmoil and escalating tensions, peace and multilateralism are challenged in both our regions, and we need more than ever to work together to resolve the crises, to prevent escalation and support a safer, and more stable international environment,” he stressed. And furthermore: “We can and want to do more together. To achieve this goal, we need these kinds of dialogues in order to share perceptions and perspectives.” (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)