According to the press service of Akorda, on July 18-19 this year, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev will pay a working visit to Saudi Arabia and take part in the summit of the heads of state “Central Asia + Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the [Persian] Gulf”.

Muratbek Azymbakiyev, head of the Foreign Policy Department of the Presidential Administration of Kyrgyzstan, also said that President Sadyr Japarov would pay a working visit to the country on July 18-20 at the invitation of the King of Saudi Arabia to participate in the summit, 24.kg quotes him as saying. 

Later it became known that Tajik President Emomali Rahmon would pay a working visit to Saudi Arabia. It is reported by Asia-Plus with reference to the press secretary of the head of state. As part of this visit, Rahmon will take part in the first summit of the countries of Central Asia and the states of the Persian Gulf.

The press service of the President of Uzbekistan has not yet commented or announced the visit.

In January of this year, it became known that the countries of Central Asia and the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Persian Gulf (GCC) are preparing the first meeting of heads of state. Then, in Riyadh, a meeting was held between the ambassadors of the Central Asian countries and representatives of the General Secretariat of the GCC.

“The timing of the first summit of the heads of state of the strategic dialogue GCC-Central Asia in Saudi Arabia and issues related to this event were discussed,” Dunyo said.

In September 2022, in Riyadh, the countries of the Gulf and Central Asia held the first dialogue meeting at the level of heads of foreign affairs.

The GCC is one of the important regional organizations whose members are such countries as Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman and Bahrain. The organization was founded in 1981.