(1)

On 18 May 2022, the European Commission and the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy adopted a Joint Communication to the European Parliament and to the Council on a strategic partnership with the Gulf. This was followed by the Council conclusions of 20 June 2022.

(2)

A European Union Special Representative (EUSR) for the Gulf region should be appointed for a period of 21 months.

(3)

The Council and the Commission, assisted by the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, should ensure consistency between the different areas of the Union’s external action in the Gulf region and should cooperate closely to that effect. The EUSR will support and cooperate with the institutions in this respect.

(4)

The EUSR is to implement the mandate in the context of a situation, which may deteriorate and could impede the achievement of the objectives of the Union’s external action as set out in Article 21 of the Treaty on European Union,

(a)

safeguarding the Union’s fundamental interests and security in the Gulf region;

(b)

promoting good and close relations between the Union and the countries of the Gulf region on the basis of common values and interests;

(c)

building a stronger, comprehensive and more strategic partnership with the countries in the Gulf region to enhance prosperity and security;

(d)

contributing to stability and security in the Gulf region by promoting de-escalation of tensions and supporting dialogue and long-term regional solutions in the Gulf region.

(a)

support the HR, together with the European External Action Service (EEAS), in the implementation of the foreign policy and security aspects of the 18 May 2022 Joint Communication on a Strategic Partnership with the Gulf and the related Council conclusions of 20 June 2022;

(b)

contribute through diplomatic channels to the preservation of peace and the prevention of conflicts in the region, as well as the mitigation of their potential effects, in particular by addressing common threats such as terrorism, climate change, environmental degradation or energy insecurity;

(c)

help to ensure consistency of the Union’s external action and promote the Union’s priorities, values and interests in the region;

(d)

contribute to a better understanding of the role of the Union and its visibility in the region, help to address disinformation and to build stronger people-to-people contacts;

(e)

to strengthen contacts with the Gulf region partners individually, but also by liaising, where required, with relevant regional organisations like the Gulf Cooperation Council, the League of Arab States and other relevant organisations at the EUSR’s level;

(a)

establishing a specific security plan based on guidance from the EEAS, including specific physical, organisational and procedural security measures governing the management of the secure movement of personnel to, and within, the area of responsibility, as well as the management of security incidents, and including a contingency plan and evacuation plan;

(b)

ensuring that all personnel deployed outside the Union are covered by high-risk insurance, as required by the conditions in the area of responsibility;

(c)

ensuring that all members of the EUSR’s team to be deployed outside the Union, including locally contracted personnel, have received appropriate security training before or upon arriving in the area of responsibility, based on the risk ratings assigned to that area by the EEAS;

(d)

ensuring that all agreed recommendations made following regular security assessments are implemented, and providing the Council, the HR and the Commission with written reports on their implementation and on other security issues within the framework of the regular progress reports and a final comprehensive mandate implementation report.