Deepening mutual understanding between Europe and the Gulf – this was the lofty goal set for the German-Arab Gulf Dialogue on the occasion of the conference’s sixth edition. Held from 10-11 June at the AXICA Congress and Convention Centre in Berlin, the Dialogue convened leading policy-makers and researchers from Germany, the European Union, and the member-states of the Gulf Cooperation Council to discuss opportunities and challenges faced by the two regions in the current context of war in Ukraine and Gaza. Though the conflict in Gaza in particular has strained relations between Europe and the Gulf, the conference nonetheless identified areas ripe for increased EU- and German-GCC cooperation, including in fostering increased economic connectivity between the regions and working towards a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Despite disagreements on the steps needed to achieve these objectives, the repetition of these shared goals and the necessity to work together to achieve them pointed towards the goodwill on display by all participants in the plenary sessions. Member of the German Bundestag and Minister of State at the Federal Foreign Office Dr Tobias Linder nicely encapsulated the attitude on display in his keynote address: “Germany is eager to work with all relevant actors, many of which are in the room.”
On the conference’s second day, the KAS Regional Programme Gulf States convened the GCC-German Young Leaders Forum. Featuring over 50 participants from all six GCC countries and Germany, the Forum gave the next generation of European and Gulf leaders the opportunity to voice their perspectives towards topics of importance to relations between the two regions.
Following an opening address by H.R.H. Prince Turki AlFaisal bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, the Forum’s two main sessions featured the presentation of a policy paper co-authored by young researchers from Germany and Saudi Arabia, followed by interventions from respondents representing Oman, Kuwait, Bahrain, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). In the first session, Layla Ali of the Gulf Research Center and Leontine von Felbert from King’s College London presented their policy paper about the positioning of Germany and Saudi Arabia in the emerging multipolar world order, illustrating this comparison using the case of the war in Gaza. The second session featured the policy paper of Eyad Alrefai (King Abdulaziz University) and Kyra Angerer (University of South-Eastern Norway), which explores contemporary social transformations in Germany and Saudi Arabia, taking football and football development as an example. Moderated by Dr Tobias Zumbrägel and Dr Abdulaziz Alghashian, the lively discussions that followed the presentations allowed Forum participants to gauge the applicability of the authors’ recommendations with respect to Saudi-German relations to the ties binding Germany and Europe, on the one hand, and other GCC member-states, on the other.
Moderated by Dr Sebastian Sons and Nicolas Reeves, the Forum’s concluding session encouraged participants to brainstorm ideas for bringing the young leaders together in a professional network that provides opportunities for them to bring their voices into policy debates pertaining to Gulf-German relations. Proposals raised included convening topic-specific task forces, inviting speakers to give briefings in individual Gulf countries, and organising after-works or Majlis-style meetings for people to share their perspectives in a familiar atmosphere. Regarding format, participants pointed out that the spoken word carries particular currency in the Gulf, especially if the right people are listening – on the other hand, short written publications, like blog posts or newsletters, could present opportunities for up-and-coming researchers and policymakers to train their voices and disseminate their message to audiences in Europe.
Irrespective of the events organised or formats pursued, a network is only as strong as its members. From the paper authors to the respondents to the participants in the plenary, the Forum made clear that the professional network that will soon link young leaders from the GCC and Germany will include in its ranks people intent on making a difference and enhancing cooperation. In other words, they are the future builders of bridges of mutual understanding between Europe and the Gulf.
