What the Gulf wants from the incoming Trump administration

The speed with which Donald Trump is assembling his team indicates that he wants to hit the ground running come his inauguration on Jan. 20. Choosing Steve Witkoff, a close adviser and confidante, as special envoy to the Middle East could mean that the president plans to be hands-on when it comes to this region.

During Trump’s first term (2017-2021), the Gulf Cooperation Council, collectively and bilaterally through its member states, enjoyed a close and mutually beneficial relationship, ever since Trump broke with tradition by choosing Saudi Arabia for his first trip abroad and meeting with GCC, Arab and Muslim leaders in Riyadh in May 2017. Although at times there were differences of opinion between the two sides, especially on the Israel-Palestine conflict, their strategic partnership continued through Trump’s last days in office. Most likely, that spirit of cooperation will continue and strengthen over the next four years.

What the Gulf wants from Trump’s second term can be summarized under three main headings: political, economic and cultural. Trump’s motto of “ending all wars” is appealing and so is his prioritizing of economic objectives. We share an interest in combating illegal migration and predatory trading practices, although we may differ on the means. We would also like to join hands in combating hate and intolerance.

At the political and strategic levels, the GCC wants to dial back raging conflicts and return to diplomacy and the pacific resolution of disputes, as the UN Charter calls for. There is little doubt that the international system is broken because of the intense disagreements between the permanent members of the UN Security Council, which render the organization unable to play its key role in maintaining peace and security around the world, as is evident in its inability to stop Israel’s war on Gaza and Lebanon.

Most likely, the spirit of cooperation seen in his first term will continue and strengthen over the next four years

Dr. Abdel Aziz Aluwaisheg

On Gaza and the underlying Israel-Palestine conflict, the GCC would like to work more closely with the US on ending the conflict. The international community has spoken clearly about the parameters of the solution, based on the UN Charter and resolutions. There are only a handful of countries that still tolerate Israel’s genocidal war in Gaza and its maximalist approach to the underlying conflict.

Last month, the Global Alliance for the Implementation of the Two-State Solution, of which the US is a member, together with about 90 other countries, articulated the global consensus on these issues. This includes an immediate and permanent ceasefire in Gaza, reunifying it with the West Bank under the Palestinian Authority and embarking on an irreversible path toward an independent and viable Palestinian state along the 1967 borders.

The extraordinary summit held in Riyadh last week expressed the unified voice of the Arab and Islamic worlds on the conflict and called for accountability for the unspeakable atrocities committed by Israel in both Gaza and the West Bank.

So, what is needed in the region is de-escalation and for the way to be prepared for sustainable solutions in Gaza, the West Bank, Lebanon and elsewhere. Diplomacy should also be the starting point in dealing with Iran and its regional network of supporters and allies.

At the economic level, the GCC shares Trump’s interest in combating predatory economic practices but believes that this should be done by fixing the global trading system, which has pitted industrialized countries against developing countries. Because that system is dysfunctional, major trading nations have abandoned cooperation and engaged in a mutually destructive cycle of actions and retaliations. The first Trump administration imposed a long series of protectionist tariffs, including on GCC exports to the US. To go by Trump’s election rhetoric, his new administration may initiate additional punishing tariffs against China, which could spark another cycle of retaliation.

The best way to deal with trade disputes is through the World Trade Organization, by doubling efforts to reenergize the organization and strengthen its dispute resolution mechanism.

At the economic level, the GCC shares Trump’s interest in combating predatory economic practices

Dr. Abdel Aziz Aluwaisheg

Finally, we want the new White House to lead on cultural reconciliation and mutual understanding. Cultural estrangement has led to a rise in hate speech and hate crimes in many parts of the world. Some of the pernicious outgrowths of this intolerance can be found in rising racist rhetoric, Islamophobia and antisemitism. The Trump administration would find ready partners in the GCC and the wider Arab and Islamic worlds to work together on toning down the rhetoric of cultural war and to reinforce cultural and religious tolerance.

Fortunately, there exists an extensive framework for cooperation under the GCC-US Strategic Partnership, which includes engagement at the heads of state level, as well as at the ministerial and technical levels. There are more than 10 working groups covering many aspects of this partnership, including political and defense issues, cyber threats, maritime security, air defense and counterterrorism. There are also working groups dedicated to specific issues, such as Iran and Yemen.

The GCC states and the US are active members of the US-led Combined Maritime Forces, a coalition of 46 nations that operates out of Bahrain through five task forces covering the Gulf, the Red Sea and areas in between.

The long-standing GCC-US Trade and Investment Dialogue and the 2012 framework agreement on economic cooperation provide appropriate channels for coordinating trade policies. As the US and GCC countries are major producers of energy, they have overlapping interests in both conventional and renewable energies. They have an abiding imperative to coordinate on both types of energy. As most GCC currencies are pegged to the dollar, it is important to continue to coordinate closely on monetary policy, as decisions taken by the Fed affect GCC economies and have a direct impact on monetary policy.

On culture, the framework of the GCC-US Strategic Partnership allows for engagement to promote mutual understanding, although this area was in the past dealt with bilaterally with member states. Rising cultural tensions in the US and elsewhere make it necessary to develop and grow cooperation at the regional level to deal with this phenomenon.

• Dr. Abdel Aziz Aluwaisheg is the Gulf Cooperation Council assistant secretary-general for political affairs and negotiation. The views expressed here are personal and do not necessarily represent the GCC. X: @abuhamad1