Kuwait City: His Highness the Amir Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah inaugurated the 45th Session of the Supreme Council of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) on Sunday. During the opening session, he extended a warm welcome to the attendees, expressing gratitude to the Amir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, for his leadership during the previous summit in Doha. According to Kuwait News Agency, His Highness emphasized that the gathering in Kuwait symbolizes the unity and strength of the GCC countries. He highlighted the necessity of enhancing joint actions among member states to achieve security, prosperity, and stability. His Highness also stressed the importance of accelerating GCC economic integration through unified policies, diversification of income sources, trade facilitation, and investment in local industries. In his address, His Highness underlined the significance of expanding innovation and entrepreneurship, particularly in emerging fields such as Artificial Intelligence, to boos t regional and global economic competitiveness. He pointed out that a key pillar in building an integrated Gulf economy is education, aiming to nurture youth talents for the envisioned economic integration. Reflecting on the history of the GCC since its inception in Abu Dhabi in 1981 by Sheikh Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, His Highness noted that unity and solidarity have been crucial for achieving prosperity and security for the people. He called on the international community, especially the UN Security Council, to implement resolutions that ensure civilian protection and facilitate humanitarian aid. His Highness reiterated support for Palestine, emphasizing the need to end the Israeli occupation and establish an independent Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital. He praised Qatar, Egypt, and the US for their mediation efforts in Gaza and welcomed the ceasefire in Lebanon as a move toward de-escalation. The Amir also acknowledged Iran's positive gestures towards the GCC, expressing hope for resolving outstanding issues and enhancing cooperation under the UN Charter and international law. Concluding his speech, His Highness reaffirmed his commitment to advancing joint Gulf action to meet the aspirations of the people and ensure a future of prosperity and stability.
