SPEECH/07/830
José Manuel Durão Barroso
President of the European Commission "Keynote address at the Kuwait Global Forum"
Kuwait Global Forum Brussels, 18 December 2007
Prime Minister,
Lord Cunningham,
Your Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
I am delighted to be here at the first Kuwait Global Forum. Allow me to extend my thanks to the Government of the Kingdom of Kuwait, and in particular to His Highness Sheikh Nasser al-Mohammed al-Ahmad Al Sabah, for their foresight in organizing this conference, and for their kindness in inviting me to address you.
Kuwait is a dynamic, young and successful economy with tremendous potential for further growth and development. It represents an important business opportunity for European companies and investors and I wholeheartedly support your quest to encourage investment and further your economic prosperity. I also admire your ambition to turn Kuwait into a regional centre, specializing in energy, telecommunications and financial services.
I was impressed by the comprehensive presentation just given by the Prime Minister, not only on the achievements of Kuwait but on the prospects for the future.
Within the Gulf region, Kuwait has made important moves towards implementing the political and economic reforms which we in Europe believe are not only inherently valuable, but also necessary to underpin impressive growth rates and development. Reforms certainly add to your attraction for European business. Most significant so far have been the steps taken to develop a healthy parliamentary system, including the right of women to participate in political life; I can only encourage you to build on these foundations.
I also welcome particularly what the Prime Minister has just said on the primacy of the rule of law and his government's commitment to democracy.
More broadly, Kuwait is an important player in a region of crucial strategic importance to the EU. Your role in the Gulf Cooperation Council is a prime example of the leadership you take in this region, and the EU recognizes the value it draws from close cooperation with you.
Above and beyond our economic relations, the events of the last two years have shown how close we stand on issues of common concern like the Middle East, Lebanon and Iran. This commonality of views – regardless of any specific differences – shows there is a broad scope for working together in areas of joint interest.
Indeed, I would like to use this occasion to propose we build a new, more strategic relationship between the EU and the Gulf, to better exploit the major untapped potential for cooperation between our two regions.
But before I come to that, let me touch on a couple of areas where we are already working closely together.
1) Economic Relations
Both sides recognize the tremendous advantages to be gained from closer economic relations. By joining our efforts, resources and political will, we can promote development and growth in both our respective regions. True, we have not yet been able to conclude negotiations on the EU-GCC Free Trade Area (FTA). But we are extremely close to the end, and I would like to stress the EU’s full commitment to concluding negotiations at the earliest possible opportunity. Once the FTA is in place it will enable us to sustainably diversify and increase our mutual trade and bring additional security and preferential market access for companies seeking to develop activities in our markets. The result will be more jobs and opportunities for young people in the gulf region and across the EU.
I very much hope that the new year will see significant progress in our negotiations and enable us to take our economic relations to a stronger and more wide-ranging level.
2) Energy
Our cooperation on energy is also very important. The Gulf region is a valued supplier for the EU’s oil and gas needs and will continue to be so in the future. But the scope of our common interests goes further than the producer-consumer relationship. We also share an interest in finding common solutions to questions like global energy security; well functioning and transparent energy markets; and sustainable energy development.
I have no doubt about the highly lucrative opportunities which await those with the foresight to develop sustainable energy policies accompanied by the necessary investment in cleaner, more environmentally friendly, energy technologies and infrastructure. The Gulf region in particular has tremendous potential in the field of hydrocarbons and renewable energy.
In tackling the common challenges we face we are more likely to succeed by working together than apart. So I am very pleased that our energy experts continue to work together on a regular basis, in the context of EU-GCC energy cooperation. We have recently agreed on three concrete areas of cooperation: clean oil and gas technologies, carbon capture and storage, and natural gas.
To take this forward, we propose developing a concrete energy cooperation project. The idea is to facilitate our energy relations, bringing together academia, researchers and industry from Europe and the Gulf.
Kuwait will certainly play a key role in making sure this project takes off quickly. And we should take the opportunity to explore the possibilities of enhanced bilateral relations with Kuwait, complementing our multilateral energy cooperation.
We cannot talk about energy without talking about climate change. There can be no-one left who thinks of climate change as a fad or a fashion. Far from seeing a peak of interest in this topic, we are at the bottom of a curve that will go on climbing sharply and swiftly in the months and years to come.
The conclusion of last week’s discussions in Bali can be considered a breakthrough. An agreement was reached on launching intensive negotiations on a global and comprehensive agreement for effective global action on climate change after 2012, and to end these negotiations in 2009.
The Bali Roadmap marks the start of intensive negotiations over the next two years. We look forward to the working closely with the GCC throughout these negotiations to ensure a comprehensive agreement is reached before the end of 2009.
I note that all GCC members have ratified the Kyoto protocol and took an active part in the Bali discussions. The EU-GCC dialogue on climate change shall reflect the importance of addressing this global challenge through existing and new means.
3) Our common neighbourhood
The Gulf region and the EU are closer geographically than one might at first think. A moment of reflection reveals we are linked by a common neighbourhood: stretching across the Mashreq to the Maghreb beyond.
That common neighbourhood is a source of potential for us both. But it remains a source of many serious concerns. I see enormous benefits for the EU and the GCC in cooperating more closely to make it an area of peace, stability and prosperity.
There may also be issues it makes sense to pursue on a bilateral basis; something we would be interested in exploring with Kuwait.
But whether on a regional basis or bilaterally, the overarching common goal should be to project peace and stability and foster economic growth and investment throughout our shared neighbourhood. This would make a major contribution to reducing poverty and tensions within those societies, in addition to addressing migratory pressures, religious extremism and the potential for conflict.
We are already both very active in tackling these challenges. European trade and investment in the region are substantial. So are those of the GCC. We are both major donors of assistance, in one form or another. We are both heavily involved in conflict resolution. We very much appreciate the enhanced role Kuwait and the other countries of the GCC have been playing; in Lebanon, Palestine, and on pan-regional issues like non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.
In recent weeks the world’s headlines have been dominated by the renewed hopes for peace in the Middle East. Just yesterday a donors meeting took place in Paris to build on the progress achieved at Annapolis. The EC upheld its tradition of being the principal international financial supporter of the Palestinian people, pledging € 440 million [$650 million] to bolster their reform process in the coming year. We welcome the assistance promised by other donors, including Kuwait and other Gulf countries, and encourage rapid disbursement of funds, including through the mechanism that the EC will establish as a channel for donor contributions.
Iraq is heavily dependent on the support of its neighbours, and we all have an important role to play in helping it move forward in its quest for national reconciliation and peace. The EU has been present in the Iraq neighbours’ meetings and we will continue to play our part, as I encourage you to continue to play yours in supporting national reconciliation and economic development.
The risk of proliferation of weapons of mass destruction remains of serious concern to Europe, as it does to the Gulf states. We have much to gain from joining our voices – and our actions – so as to encourage full compliance with UN Security Council resolutions. International unity remains the best option ahead. The burden is on us to demonstrate, collectively, that the diplomatic path can yield effective results.
But the issues and geographical scope of our common neighbourhood are broader than these “spotlights” of international media. A more comprehensive approach is the only effective way of reaching a long term solution.
The GCC and EU share strong links with, as well as proximity to, the Maghreb and Mashrek countries. I strongly believe we should build on these links and start thinking about ways of working together to address the common challenges of the Mediterranean-Middle East region as a whole.
Your Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen,
Kuwait, its immediate neighbours in the Gulf, and the EU, share a common future. A future in which energy and other products can trade freely between our two regions; in which the talents of our people, the potential of our industry and the strength of our innovation will bring mutual benefits to society; and in which peace and stability in the broader region work for the greater good of all.
But to get there will take time and commitment.
I propose that the way to achieve that vision is to put our relationship on a more strategic footing, taking our cooperation to an entirely new level. We should begin a dialogue, sharing our views on how best to move forward, and where we have common interests in cooperating more closely together. We are entirely open to suggestions and ideas as to the terms of such a strengthened relationship, but I strongly believe we must move in that direction. We need to look one step beyond the gains of today’s business links, towards the longer term dividends of a deeper inter-regional partnership.
I hope you know you can count on the EU’s commitment both to Kuwait and to the broader Gulf region. The EU – 27 member states, almost 500 million inhabitants, and today the world's largest trader and aid donor - is a reliable and credible international partner. And I am sure we in turn can count on your commitment to jointly address the challenges we face and build the path to a more stable and prosperous future.
I wish you a highly productive and enjoyable conference, and I look forward to continuing this discussion in the future.
Thank you.
