At the invitation of the Diplomatic Institute of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, a discussion session was held in cooperation with the Joaan Bin Jassim Academy for Defense Studies, entitled:

Does the Gulf Need to Form a New Defense Alliance (a Gulf NATO)?

The session examined the extent to which Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states may need to move from existing forms of defense coordination toward a more structured and effective collective defense framework in light of escalating regional threats. It also discussed the prospects of establishing a Gulf defense alliance, along with the associated political and military challenges, and the feasibility of adopting a model similar to NATO in the Gulf context.

The session further reviewed possible alternatives, such as enhancing integration in areas including air defense, early warning systems, maritime security, and joint strategic cooperation, with the participation of a group of experts and specialists in the military field.