Call for doubling efforts to boost GCC security, stability

HE the Prime Minister and Interior Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa al-Thani participated in the opening session of 17th consultative meeting of GCC interior ministers held in Riyadh yesterday. Addressing the meeting,  Saudi Crown Prince, Deputy Premier and Minister of Interior Mohamed bin Nayef bin Abdulaziz said  that security and stability enjoyed in the GCC states contributed to creating the appropriate environment for achieving economic, social and cultural development, at a time when most of the region’s countries witness turbulent security and difficult economic conditions. He called for doubling efforts and strengthening co-operation as well as expanding horizons of continuous consultation and co-ordination between GCC security agencies. “We are facing great challenges and unprecedented and serious criminal phenomena. Maintaining security is a joint national and religious requirement,” he added. The Saudi Crown Prince expressed thanks to the security personnel in all the GCC member states for their sacrifices in the service of religion, homelands and peoples. GCC Secretary-General Abdullatif al-Zayani expressed, in his speech, deep pride of joint security co-operation between GCC states which achieved advanced level of security services that succeeded in fighting crime and terrorism. Al-Zayani said that GCC general secretariat is closely following the updates on the emergency risk plans in GCC states, adding that the GCC centre for emergency management continues holding specialised training workshops in order to raise the capability and awareness as well as to intensify joint coordination between the member states. The Secretary-General extended thanks to Saudi Arabia for hosting the meeting. He congratulated HE the Prime Minister and Interior Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa al-Thani and Omani Interior Minister Hamoud bin Faisal al-Busaidi on the signing a security co-operation agreement of between Qatar and Oman. The GCC ministers held a closed session to discuss mechanisms of security co-ordination and co-operation in line with the requirements of the GCC joint action.