The Amir was speaking in an exclusive interview with Chairman and Director General of Kuwait News Agency (KUNA) Sheikh Mubarak Al-Duaij Al-Ibrahim Al-Sabah on the occasion of the 30th Summi
t of GCC leaders, which will kick off today.
Commenting on the relationship between the GCC and regional and international organizations, HH Sheikh Sabah said that one of the council’s goals was to cooperate with similar regional organizations in programs and placing visions. "There is an increasing importance for the GCC states to achieve regional security and stability, where the immense natural resources that Almighty Allah has bestowed (on the GCC countries) and the efficiency of the member states in activating the global economy has made interna
tional and regional organizations seek cooperation with the GCC countries," the Amir said.
He noted that these organizations also sought to put in place specific mechanisms and detailed programs with the GCC in order to integrate and coordinate stances, as well as projects that would be of benefit to both members of these regional organizations and the GCC. "One of the prominent examples of cooperation was in the dialogue launched with the European Union (EU), which began with the establishment of the core of the Gulf Cooperation Council, and was then followed by dialogues with other economic bl
ocs and countries of economic significance, as well as international organizations like the United Nations, the World Trade Organization, the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund," he added.
HH the Amir also noted that GCC foreign ministers held periodic meetings with their counterparts in other regional blocs – such as Latin America, the African Union, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), and the EU – to discuss cooperation channels and to coordinate stances on political, economic and social issues at the international level. The GCC foreign ministers also meet with major countries like the United States, China, Japan and Russia. "The Gulf Cooperation Council is one of the most
important regional organizations, which bases its activities on common goals aimed at achieving greater security, stability and prosperity for the countries and the peoples of the world," he said.
Asked to evaluate the role of the GCC in tackling political challenges in the Gulf and the Middle East in the 30 years since its establishment, HH Sheikh Sabah said that one of the main reasons why this regional organization was established "was and still is to bring political security and stability to the region, its countries and its people," adding that for many years, this region was subjected to external threats.
The Kuwaiti leader added that "the GCC has been in harmony with its goals and reflected the aspirations of the people during times of danger that passed through the region, such as the Iraq-Iran War, and it (the GCC) contributed to passing a resolution at the UN Security Council to end that war.
HH Sheikh Sabah also lauded "the solid stance" of the GCC states in standing up to the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait, and its "courageous and unified action" in taking the initiative to defend Kuwait’s unity, safety and legitimacy, adding that the GCC played a major role in the liberation of Kuwait. "This unified stance continued towards all other challenges that the region’s countries faced and are still facing, such as terrorism and extremism," he explained, adding that the GCC governments were working in har
mony to coordinate their efforts in reaching "maximum levels" of security and political stability, "which is an important climate for economic development.
Moreover, the Kuwaiti Amir noted the "clear" role of the GCC in the Middle East peace process, such that a complete Israeli withdrawal from occupied territories would be guaranteed alongside the establishment of an independent Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital. This role, he said, was evident through the Arab peace initiative that was approved by the Arab Summit in Beirut and the "constant" role that the GCC played to create harmony between the Palestinians so that they may overcome divisions
that have recently surfaced at the home front.
Thus, the role of the GCC in dealing with political challenges is active and one that takes the initiative, while reflecting the means to bring stability and development to our Arab world, and to save our region from the woes of conflicts and external intervention," HH Sheikh Sabah said. However, he said that despite these achievements, demands now revolved around tackling new challenges that come with political and economic developments that the world is facing, as well as achieving the ambitions of the
people of the GCC "who now aspire for more tangible steps that bring security, stability and prosperity.
On GCC economic integration, the Amir noted that one of the main goals of the council was to make progress in matters that affected the daily lives of the people "and to arrive at the stage of ‘Gulf nationalism’ in all areas of cooperation between the member states, thereby achieving aspirations for development and construction." He explained that the GCC economic agreement, and the amendments that were made to it over the course of the past 30 years, amounted to "a clear economic strategy aimed at economi
c linkage and openness (between the member states) and with the external world.
HH Sheikh Sabah said that many of the major steps to achieve this have been completed, namely the customs union agreement, the agreement for the free movement of capital and national labor force, the agreement for ownership of real estate, stocks and bonds and the establishment of companies.
All of these are major steps, and the free trade agreements between the GCC and major commercial partners, whether countries or political and economic blocs, serve to boost our commercial and economic status worldwide," he explained.
