The 9th EU–GCC Business Forum, held under the theme “Together for Shared Prosperity”, took place on 5 and 6 November 2025 at the Abdullah Al Salem Cultural Centre in Kuwait. The event brought together over 600 guests, including senior policymakers, business leaders, investors and entrepreneurs from the European Union (EU) and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries. Organised in collaboration with Kuwait’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Kuwait Direct Investment Promotion Authority (KDIPA), the high-level event was held under the patronage of His Highness the Prime Minister of Kuwait, Sheikh Ahmad Al Abdullah Al Sabah. For the first time since the launch of the EU–GCC Business Forum, the Republic of Croatia was officially represented at the event.
Distinguished guests and speakers included Mr. Maroš Šefčovič, EU Commissioner for Trade and Economic Security, who delivered the keynote speech. Mr. Ioannis Tsakiris, Vice-President of the European Investment Bank, and Mr. Luigi Di Maio, EU Special Representative for the Gulf, also addressed the forum, emphasising the importance of deepening cooperation between Europe and the Gulf across strategic areas such as trade, innovation, climate transition and youth development.
For the first time since the launch of the EU–GCC Business Forum, the Republic of Croatia was officially represented at the event. Participation took place at the invitation of the Croatian Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs, and with the strong support of the Embassy of Croatia in Kuwait.
The Croatian delegation was coordinated by the UAE–Croatia Business Club, which plays an active role in strengthening business and diplomatic ties between Croatia and the Gulf region. The delegation was led by Neven Roginić, President of the UAE–Croatia Business Club, Hrvoje Bujanović, Vice President of the Club and former State Secretary at the Croatian Ministry of Economy, and Ida Pandur, Vice Chair of the Club. The presence of Croatia was organised in close cooperation with H.E. Amir Muharemi, Ambassador of the Republic of Croatia to the State of Kuwait, and Antun Mahnić, First Secretary at the Embassy.
A Croatian national booth was presented for the first time at the EU–GCC Business Forum, drawing strong interest from attendees throughout the two-day event. The booth served as a platform to present Croatian projects, innovation-driven companies and opportunities for investment and cooperation. The organisation of the booth was a joint effort between the UAE–Croatia Business Club and the Embassy of Croatia in Kuwait, demonstrating the importance of combining public and private sector efforts to promote Croatian interests abroad.
Croatia was also represented in two key panel discussions:
- Neven Roginić, President of the UAE–Croatia Business Club, spoke on the panel titled “New Avenues for Cooperation”, where he highlighted Croatia’s potential to contribute to regional development in areas such as green energy, science and innovation, tourism and infrastructure. He underlined the importance of relationship-building and cross-regional platforms that connect Europe and the Gulf.
- Ivan Paić, Member of the Management Board of KONČAR, took part in the panel “Exploring cooperation in digitalisation, innovation ecosystems, and AI for competitiveness and growth.” He presented KONČAR’s achievements in the field of advanced energy solutions and digital transformation, illustrating how Croatian companies can provide real value to the economic diversification goals of the Gulf countries.
The EU–GCC Business Forum served as an important platform for fostering dialogue on trade, investment, digital transformation, youth engagement and sustainability. Croatia’s debut participation at the event signals its readiness to contribute more actively to regional collaboration. With strong institutional backing, engaged leadership and a growing number of internationally oriented companies, Croatia is opening a new chapter in its economic diplomacy with the Gulf region. The country is now positioned to take part in shaping shared prosperity across borders.
Source: The UAE-Croatia Business Club