Gulf and Europe Explore AI and Technology Investment at Riyadh Summit

The European and Gulf countries are preparing to deepen their economic relationship beyond traditional trade, with artificial intelligence, technology, clean energy and digital infrastructure emerging as key areas for future cooperation.

On October 24, 2026, leaders of EU Member States and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) will meet in Riyadh for the second EU-GCC Summit, as said by the European Commission’s official spokesperson, while speaking to Al-Eqtisadiah.

On behalf of the EU, the multilateral summit will be co-chaired by Antonio Costa, President of the European Council. The EU will also be represented by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.

EU-GCC Relations Enter New Phase

Antonio Costa said the EU sees the summit as an opportunity to provide fresh political and economic momentum to relations with the GCC countries. In 2025, the EU and GCC countries traded goods worth €165.7 billion in 2025, which is approx. 1.1% higher than in 2024.

The European Commission highlighted that while trade will remain an important part of the relationship, cooperation in cloud computing, data centres, high-performance computing, AI applications and cybersecurity is also expected to play a greater role in the next phase of EU-GCC ties.

Clean Energy Investment Set To Grow

The RU-GCC Summit is expected to focus on more than trade deals, with clean energy emerging as another area for future cooperation between the two regions. Potential areas include solar energy, wind power, and green hydrogen, as well as energy storage and smart grids and technologies designed to reduce emissions.

In a recent meeting that took place on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York, both sides discussed the preparations for the upcoming summit.

European Commissioner for the Mediterranean, Dubravka Šuica, met with GCC Secretary-General, Jassim Mohammed Albudaiwi.

Šuica said that despite the challenging geopolitical situation, the EU wants to further strengthen its strategic partnership and growing cooperation across areas ranging from trade and investment to energy, transport and digital connectivity.

Also Read:

AlUla Celebrated With Gold Award for Responsible Tourism in 2026

Muslim World League Renews Call for Palestinian State Amid Gaza Crisis