Amir H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani attending the 42nd session of the Supreme Council of the GCC in Riyadh, yesterday.
Riyadh: The final statement of the 42nd summit of the GCC Supreme Council held yesterday in Riyadh reiterated the support of the GCC member countries to the State of Qatar in successful hosting of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022.
The GCC summit praised the success of organising the FIFA Arab Cup, which is currently being hosted by Qatar, and for the outstanding organisation and efforts made by the country to make this tournament a success. The Council also praised the support provided by the State of Qatar, amounting to $90m, to Yemen through the World Food Program.
In the final statement, the Supreme Council of the GCC valued raising the level of the presidency of the Qatari-Saudi Coordination Council to the level of Amir H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and H R H Prince Muhammad bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
The Council welcomed the positive results of the meeting of the Coordination Council on December 8, 2021, to develop joint bilateral cooperation in a way that enhances integration between the two brotherly countries.
The leaders and heads of delegations of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) affirmed the importance of accurate, complete and continuous implementation of the vision of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and the completion of the components of economic unity as well as joint defence and security system.
They also affirmed the importance of coordinating of stances in order to enhance solidarity and stability of the GCC countries, preserve their interests, avoid regional and international conflicts, meet the aspirations of the GCC citizens and enhance the GCC regional and international role, via unifying political stances and developing political partnerships at the regional and international levels.
The statement, which was read by GCC Secretary-General H E Nayef bin Falah Al Hajraf, stipulated the agreement among GCC states on principles and policies to develop strategic cooperation as well as economic and development integration to achieve the aspirations of GCC citizens.
GCC leaders affirmed the contents of Article 2 of the Joint Defense Agreement that the GCC Member States consider that any attack against any of the GCC states is an attack on all of them. Any danger that threatens one of them threatens all of them. They asserted the GCC member states’ commitment of a collective action against all threats and challenges.
GCC leaders also stressed the importance of enhancing the joint cooperation and coordinating plans aimed at achieving sustainability and dealing with climate change and its effects, promoting joint action among the GCC countries to implement the circular carbon economy approach which was launched by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia during its presidency of the G20 and was approved by the G20 as an integrated and comprehensive framework to address the challenges arising from greenhouse gas emissions and their management through the available and innovative technologies, and following up the implementation of initiatives, projects and mechanisms launched by the GCC countries in this field.
The statement also noted that the relevant committees were assigned to put the necessary mechanisms to achieve the best results related to protecting the environment and benefiting from the Green Saudi and Green Middle East initiatives, launched by H R H Crown Prince, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud, and strengthening the joint Gulf efforts to confront the environmental challenges, raise vegetation cover, increase reliance on clean technologies for all energy sources, combat pollution and preserve environmental life in all its forms to achieve the best decent livelihood for its people, in line with the conditions and priorities of the member states and their development plans, and in line with the global goals for sustainable development.
The GCC leaders stressed the importance of following up the achievement of the goals of the economic visions of the GCC countries to achieve the economic diversification, maximize the benefit from the economic potentials and distinguished opportunities to double the joint investments among the GCC countries, develop the integration of the road, rail and communications networks among the GCC countries, support and strengthen national industries, accelerate their growth, provide the necessary protection for them, raise their competitiveness and access to a leading industrial position capable of competing globally, and remove all obstacles and difficulties facing the implementation of the joint economic action decisions among the GCC countries. The final communique said that GCC leaders stressed the importance of enhancing the joint cooperation to continue combating the coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19), and the importance of supporting the process of collective action to combat the epidemics and diseases, and similar regulations in the future if they occur, and to encourage the proposal of the effective policies and strategies to deal with such conditions in the future, in order to help combat them and deal with their economic and social repercussions, travel conditions, and movement among the GCC countries.
They also stressed the importance of continuing to support and enhance the role of the GCC women in economic development programs and their participation in the joint GCC action, encouraging the role of youths in the financial and business sectors and developing relief, humanitarian and voluntary work. They reiterated the importance of enhancing the joint action towards digital transformation and modern technologies, enhancing cooperation and building alliances in the field of cyber and information security in line with the aspirations of the GCC countries, supporting the role of youths, the private sector and small and medium enterprises in the growth of economic diversification and encouraging partnerships, projects and initiatives in this field.
