Leaders of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states and US have agreed on enhancing defense, security and intelligence cooperation to protect the Gulf region"s security and stability as well as the freedom of maritime navigation. In a joint statement following their summit in Jeddah on Saturday, the leaders also voiced their support for all diplomatic efforts to reduce regional tensions. "The GCC welcomes the US" reaffirmation that it will always work with the GCC to deter and confront all external threats against the [GCC"s] security and against vital maritime routes particularly the straits of Hormuz and Bab al-Mandeb," reads the statement. They also voiced firm determination to cement cooperation and coordination to develop defense capabilities and to counter threats posed by growing use of drones and winged missiles and supplying terrorist militias and armed groups with weapons. They reiterated support for efforts to guarantee that the Gulf region would remain free of mass destruction weapons and the diplomatic efforts to prevent Iran from possessing a nuclear weapon, countering terrorism and all destabilizing activities in the region. "The leaders also welcomed establishing Combined Task Force 153 and Combined Task Force 59 to strengthen defense coordination between GCC countries and the US Central Command to help detect naval threats and developing naval defenses through the employment of the state-of-art systems and technologies" added the statement said. The US president and the GCC leaders agreed on buttressing coordination to support efforts aimed at helping with the recovery of the international economy and at addressing the negative economic repercussions which resulted from the COVID-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine. "The US welcomed the Arab Coordination Group"s decision to provide at least $10 billion to help with the response to food security challenges regionally and internationally," the statement said, adding that GCC leaders also welcomed the US" decision to provide USD 1 billion in near- and long-term food security assistance for the Middle East and North Africa region. The leaders also praised the efforts of OPEC+ to achieve the stability of global oil markets in a manner that serves the interests of both producers and consumers and welcomed OPEC+ recent decision to increase production in July and August. The US commended the decision of some GCC countries plans" to invest USD 3 billion in infrastructure projects in low- and middle-income countries. The US hailed the GCC donation of USD 100 million for the Palestinian medical sector, particularly to overhaul East Jerusalem hospitals. — SG