The UAE Thursday renewed its commitment to the six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) ahead of the bloc’s annual summit due next week in Saudi Arabia.

“The commitment of the State of Emirates to the institutional Gulf bloc lies in the depth of its vision keen on the region’s stability and prosperity,” UAE Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Dr Anwar Gargash tweeted.

The GCC leaders will gather in Riyadh on December 10 for the summit to be presided over by Saudi King Salman Bin Abdul Aziz.

“We look forward to the Riyadh summit with optimism and hope. This summit derives its importance from the strategic weight of the venue,” Dr Gargash added.

“We have a firm belief in the Gulf and Arab role of the sisterly Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. So is our commitment to the success of the march of the Cooperation Council at the time of disintegration and anxiety,” he said.

The GCC comprises Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman and Qatar.

The upcoming summit will be held amid Kuwaiti efforts to defuse a diplomatic row pitting Qatar against a Saudi-led bloc.

In June 2017, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain and Egypt broke off diplomatic and transportation links with Qatar over its support for extremist groups.

The anti-Qatar quartet has repeatedly demanded Doha to comply with a set of conditions to mend ties. The demands include Qatar’s severance of links with militant and terror groups.

Qatar has refused the conditions, saying they violate its sovereignty.

King Salman has invited Qatari Emir Tamim Bin Hamad to attend the Riyadh gathering.