Abu Dhabi has formed a joint cooperation committee between the UAE and Saudi Arabia that will coordinate on a variety of issues including all military, political, economic, trade and cultural fields.

The committee was announced by the UAE’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs on 5 December. It released details of a resolution by UAE President Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed al-Nahyan forming the committee that will be jointly chaired by Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed al-Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, and Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed al-Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs.

The chairmen will then appoint committee members from federal and local government bodies and sectors in the UAE.

The resolution was made as the GCC conference in Kuwait starts. It will be the first time the body has met since the trade sanctions on Qatar were imposed by Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Bahrain in June this year.