The EU and the GCC: Challenges and Prospects under the Swedish EU Presidency

June 8-9, 2009
Lund University, Lund, Sweden

The meeting was an important opportunity to impress upon Swedish policy officials the GCC perspective when it comes to such important issues as the Iranian nuclear program, the situation in Afghanistan and the overall priorities for regional development such as education. Participants in the end agreed that there was much to recommend to move the relationship forward between the two sides. The consensus was that there was a need to put focus on pressing issues in the short-term as well as set the pillars for more long-term engagement.