KUWAIT: The 45th GCC summit due to be held in Kuwait on Sunday, with the attendance of top leaders or representatives, is yet a new gathering of such level to bolster sustainable development, regional security and stability. The summit, the 8th to be hosted by Kuwait, aims at capitalizing on achievements made over the past years, examining plans for a more stable and prosperous future and taking unified stands vis-a-vis mounting regional threats. The summit at Bayan Palace will address regional security, bolstering pan-GCC economic merger and plans to face regional and international challenges.
The leaders will look into schemes for overhauling the joint market, enhancing technology cooperation, infrastructural linkups and a host of political files, namely Palestine, Lebanon, Syria, Yemen, Iraq and relations with regional and international powers. The GCC, founded in 1981, holds annual sessions and strives to enhance cooperation among the member states in various fields. It groups Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain, Qatar and Oman.
Kuwait Task Force (Khaleej) is fully ready to protect and ensure the safety and security of the delegations of the 45th Session of the GCC Supreme Council, the force’s commander Brig Saad Mubarak said. In a statement to KUNA on Saturday, Brig Mubarak said the force had been preparing for the event after the Cabinet issued an order to task the National Guard with protecting security during the summit. The force had set a complete security plan for the Sheraton, St Regis and Four Points hotels, he noted.
Deputy commander Col Mutar Bader told KUNA that the force will facilitate the delegations’ entry to the hotels, while also setting checkpoints for vehicles and baggage inspection. The National Guard will use top-notch and well-developed equipment to prevent any sabotage attempts, including surveillance cameras and communication devices, he said.
Kuwaiti political and academic figures affirmed that the 45th GCC summit would be held amid extremely sensitive and difficult regional and international challenges. The experts said in statements to KUNA on this occasion that the summit comes to emphasize the importance of enhancing joint action between GCC countries in response to current changes that require unified positions to ensure the sustainability of security and development in the region.
They expressed their visions on the importance of this summit, stressing the role played by the GCC summits in confronting current crises and enhancing the position of the council, focusing on economic, political and security issues imposed by exceptional circumstances.
Former GCC Secretary General Dr Abdullah Bishara said the holding of this summit comes at a time when the world is witnessing serious and unpredictable challenges. He stressed leaders of the GCC countries are aware of these challenges as they are following up on regional and international developments that require them to take necessary decisions.
Professor of Sociology at Kuwait University Dr Mohammad Al-Rumaihi said the GCC, since 1981, has been contributing to preserving the stability of the region from unsafe circumstances such as the Iraqi-Iranian conflict, as well as the occupation and liberation of Kuwait, the Arab Spring, the COVID pandemic and multiple other conflicts in the region.
Professor of Sociology and Anthropology and Director of Gulf and Arabian Peninsula Center at Kuwait University Dr Yagoub Al-Kandari said Kuwait has always strived to achieve some balance through diplomatic mediation in crises, making the location of this summit appropriate to enhance cooperation, achieve solidarity and overcome differences.
Al-Kandari stated the GCC countries face a set of regional and international issues, notably the Palestinian issue and the Zionist occupation aggression on Lebanon, which requires more coordination to confront these challenges. He expressed hope that the outcomes of this summit would focus on the economic situation, which is heading towards more global changes, to achieve more accomplishments in various fields. — KUNA