- The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)-Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf (GCC) Foreign Ministers’ Meeting was held on 23 September 2026 in New York, the United States, on the sidelines of the 81st United Nations General Assembly High-Level Week. The Meeting was co-chaired by H.E. Dr. Vivian Balakrishnan, Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Singapore, and H.E. Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Bahrain. The Meeting was attended by Foreign Ministers or representatives of ASEAN and the GCC Member States, the Deputy Secretary-General of ASEAN, and the Secretary-General of the GCC.
- The Meeting exchanged views on regional and international developments. The Meeting expressed serious concern over the rapidly evolving situation in the Middle East, particularly the renewed hostilities involving the United States of America and the Islamic Republic of Iran, which pose a risk of further regional spill over. The Meeting expressed deep concern that these developments severely undermine the ongoing efforts of key mediators and diminish the prospects for a peaceful resolution through dialogue and diplomacy. The Meeting called on all parties concerned to exercise utmost self-restraint and avoid any acts that may further aggravate the situation. The Meeting urged all parties to return to dialogue and diplomacy and redouble efforts in negotiations that will lead to the permanent end of the conflict and lasting peace and stability in the region. The Meeting underscored the importance of maintaining regional peace, stability and prosperity, upholding international law, and promoting genuine dialogue and diplomacy in addressing conflicts and tensions, including the need for a complete and immediate cessation of hostilities across all fronts in the Middle East. The Meeting further reaffirmed the obligations of all States to resolve their differences through peaceful means, and to respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all nations, to protect civilians and civilian infrastructure in armed conflicts, and to ensure the safety and security of United Nations peacekeepers and humanitarian personnel, in accordance with international law, including international humanitarian law, the UN Charter, and relevant UNSC resolutions.
Download the full statement here.
Photo credit: Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Singapore and ASEAN Secretariat
