Malaysia’s Collaboration: ASEAN-GCC Partnership On The Horizon

Malaysia’s Foreign Minister Zambry Abdul Kadir expressed the country’s eagerness to establish strong collaboration with the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) within the framework of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). This statement was made in anticipation of the upcoming ASEAN-GCC summit in Riyadh.

The Malaysian government has put forward a proposal to establish a framework agreement for economic collaboration with the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) member states. This proposal gained approval during the 116th session of the Ministerial Council in September 2010, paving the way for the signing of the framework agreement in Abu Dhabi, UAE, on January 30, 2011. The agreement outlines the creation of a joint committee to oversee economic, trade, investment, and technical cooperation between the GCC States and Malaysia.

The groundwork for this collaboration was laid in 2010 when the Malaysian government proposed the establishment of a framework agreement for economic cooperation with GCC member states. After receiving approval during the 116th session of the Ministerial Council, the framework agreement was signed in Abu Dhabi in 2011. This agreement outlines the formation of a joint committee responsible for overseeing economic, trade, investment, and technical cooperation between the GCC states and Malaysia.

In recent years, ASEAN member states, including Malaysia, have been actively strengthening their ties with GCC countries such as Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, and the UAE. Both regional blocs are poised to hold their inaugural joint summit in Saudi Arabia, a significant step in fostering deeper collaboration between ASEAN and GCC. Malaysia’s role as the country coordinator for ASEAN in organizing this summit underscores the nation’s commitment to forging closer ties. It is believed that such collaboration will have a substantial impact on the social, economic, and political development of the participating regions.

 

A report by London-based think tank Asia House in December 2022 highlighted the increasing importance of ties between ASEAN and Gulf states, citing “natural synergies” in their shared visions for economic growth, particularly in areas like digitalization, manufacturing, and logistics infrastructure.

 

Furthermore, Malaysia has been actively pursuing bilateral cooperation with GCC countries. The country has engaged in discussions with the UAE for a free trade agreement and secured substantial investments in renewable energy projects. These initiatives signal a growing partnership between Malaysia and the Gulf region, with plans to enhance their relations across various fields. Malaysia also places special importance on its ties with Saudi Arabia and seeks to strengthen and expand these relations in the future.