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Secretary General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi affirmed that despite the major events that have affected the region and the world, the GCC states have established themselves as a fundamental pillar of regional and global security and stability, and as a distinguished model of integration and cooperation among their nations. These remarks were made during a discussion session hosted by the Institute of Arab Gulf States. The event took place on Wednesday, Oct. 15, 2025, at its headquarters in the US capital, Washington, in the presence of several ambassadors from GCC and Arab countries, as well as a number of senior officials and specialists. At the beginning of his participation, Albudaiwi expressed his appreciation to the Institute of Arab Gulf States for its role in enhancing the international community's understanding of the region's issues, and its support for developing specialised academic research on the Gulf and its international relations. During his talk, he highlighted the GCC's most prominent achievements in the political, economic, security, and military fields. He pointed out that the Council has unified its positions in international forums, strengthened its strategic partnerships with countries as well as regional and global organisations, and solidified its humanitarian and developmental role at the regional and global levels. Moreover, the Secretary General explained that the GCC states have made tangible steps in diversifying their economies and reducing their dependence on oil by implementing ambitious development visions and investing in renewable energy, technology, tourism, and logistics, in addition to strengthening their economic integration by activating the Gulf Common Market and facilitating the movement of goods, capital, and individuals. Regarding the GCC's vision for the next decade, Albudaiwi underscored that the priorities are to complete the requirements for the Customs Union and Monetary Union, move towards a unified Gulf economy, enhance joint security and defense aspects, lead efforts in energy transition and sustainable development, and empower youth and women as fundamental drivers for the future of their countries. Besides, he underlined the GCC's firm position in support of the Palestinian cause, its rejection of any infringement upon the rights of the Palestinian people, and its emphasis on the need to reach a just and comprehensive solution in accordance with international legitimacy resolutions and the Arab Peace Initiative. GCC Secretary General Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi concluded by emphasising that the GCC is entering a new era defined by integration and global leadership, based on a common vision and a firm political will led by the wise leadership of the GCC states, to achieve the aspirations of its peoples for greater security, prosperity, and well-being.

The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) welcomed the agreement reached regarding the Gaza Strip, which aims to implement the first step of US President Donald Trump's initiative to achieve a ceasefire and initiate a process leading to a comprehensive and lasting truce. Secretary General of the GCC Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi praised the significant efforts made by US President Donald Trump and the constructive support provided by the State of Qatar, the Arab Republic of Egypt, and the Republic of Turkiye, to achieve this agreement through a diligent diplomatic path and continuous coordination. Albudaiw stressed that this step represents a new hope for alleviating the humanitarian suffering of the Palestinian people in Gaza and paving the way to address the tragic conditions experienced by civilians, particularly concerning the provision of medical and food aid and ensuring the safe and sustainable flow of humanitarian support. GCC Secretary General underscored the necessity for this stage to be the beginning of a clear political path that leads to the complete withdrawal of Israeli forces from the Gaza Strip, the restoration of security and stability, and the resumption of international efforts aimed at achieving a just and comprehensive solution on the basis of the two-state solution. "This path must also enable the Palestinian people to realise their legitimate rights to establish their independent state on the June 4, 1967, borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital, in accordance with the Arab Peace Initiative and United Nations resolutions," he concluded.

Qatar won three awards at the GCC e-Government Award 2025, held in the State of Kuwait Wednesday, in recognition of its distinguished government initiatives in digital transformation and smart service development. These awards reflect the country’s continuous progress in implementing pioneering digital projects.The Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (MCIT) was recognised with the Outstanding Project Award in the Best Government Competencies Building Initiative Award category for its initiative ‘Qatar Digital Academy’. The award recognises the ministry’s efforts in raising awareness of emerging technologies and empowering all segments of society to actively participate in Qatar’s national digital transformation initiatives.This achievement marks a milestone in the MCIT’s ongoing efforts to implement projects and programmes that promote digital culture and advance digital inclusion across Qatar, in alignment with the objectives of the Digital Agenda 2030 which aims to build an integrated digital society where individuals and institutions participate equally.The Ministry of Social Development and Family received the Outstanding Project Award in the Best Digital Inclusion Initiative Award category for its project “Sokoon” application to digitise Sign Language. Meanwhile, the National Planning Council earned the first place in the Open Data Initiative category for its project “Qatar Open Data Platform.”This achievement reaffirms Qatar’s leading position in digital government, driven by continuous investment in digital infrastructure, national talent, and regional collaboration in innovation and the digital economy. HE the Minister of Information and Communications Technology Mohammed bin Ali al-Mannai emphasised that Qatar’s winning of three awards at the Digital Government Award 2025 reflects the success of the national strategy for digital transformation and underscores the country’s pioneering role in advancing the GCC digital integration process.

Qatar, represented by the Ministry of Culture (MoC), took part Tuesday in the preparatory meeting of the General Cultural Committee of the Gulf Co-operation Council (GCC), held under the chairmanship of Kuwait.This meeting is a precursor to the gathering of the undersecretaries of culture ministries in GCC member states, scheduled to convene ahead of the 29th session of GCC ministers of culture, set to take place tomorrow.The Qatar delegation to the preparatory meeting was led by the MoC’s director of the Department of Culture and Arts Abdulrahman Abdullah al-Dulaimi.The meeting featured a comprehensive review of the agenda, which included 14 items spanning various domains of culture, arts, and heritage, aimed at strengthening joint cultural co-operation.

Qatar, represented by the Ministry of Endowments (Awqaf) and Islamic Affairs, participated in the 11th meeting of GCC Islamic affairs ministers held in Kuwait Monday.The Qatari delegation participating in the meeting was headed by HE the Minister of Endowments (Awqaf) and Islamic Affairs Ghanem bin Shaheen bin Ghanem al-Ghanem.The delegation included HE the Undersecretary of the ministry Sheikh Dr Khalid bin Mohammed bin Ghanem al-Thani; Assistant Undersecretary for Islamic Affairs Khalid bin Shaheen al-Ghanem; Director General of the General Administration of Endowments (Awqaf) engineer Hassan bin Abdullah al-Marzouqi, and Director of the Islamic Affairs Department Mohammed bin Jabr al-Mannai.Kuwait’s Minister of Endowments and Islamic Affairs, Dr Mohammed Ibrahim al-Wasmi, said that these blessed fraternal meetings embody the visions and directives of the leaders of the GCC states, towards strengthening unity, integration, and rapprochement among member states in various fields.During the sessions, the ministers adopted a number of issues and topics of common interest, most notably: the exchange of scientific research and experiences in the field of endowments (Awqaf) among member states through interactive seminars via videoconferencing technology, in addition to presenting distinguished experiences in the field of Islamic affairs, and the organisation of the GCC Endowment Week and the GCC Week for the Protection of Religious and Moral Values ​​of the Family.The ministers also decided to establish standards and controls for the success of imams in their social role, prepare an intellectual security charter for mosque imams and regulatory indicators, and adopt technical guidelines for the construction and development of mosques, as well as a GCC vision for rationalising electricity consumption in mosques.The ministers emphasised the importance of employing artificial intelligence in the fields of Islamic affairs, advocacy, and guidance.They discussed a working paper on the risks of energy attraction, established a GCC scientific observatory to highlight the true image of Islam’s tolerance, and explored a shared vision for historic mosques.It was also decided to develop a national index to measure the impact of endowments on society and to hold a GCC competition to raise awareness of endowments, charitable work, and volunteering.The ministers also discussed mechanisms for developing joint action and integrating advocacy and guidance efforts, and exchanging best practices in consolidating the values ​​of moderation, tolerance and strengthening community partnerships in serving Islamic and humanitarian causes.On the sidelines of the meeting, Dr al-Wasmi honoured the members of the Permanent Committee working to study the proposals.He also honoured Qatar’s Undersecretary of the Ministry of Endowments (Awqaf) and Islamic Affairs HE Sheikh Dr Khalid bin Mohammed bin Ghanem al-Thani, and Director of the Islamic Affairs Department Mohammed bin Jabr al-Mannai.

His Excellency Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Sultan bin Saad Al Muraikhi met on Monday with the Secretary of State of the Republic of Poland Wladyslaw Teofil, on the sidelines of the 29th Joint Ministerial Meeting between the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and the European Union (EU), held in Kuwait. During the meeting, they discussed cooperation relations between the two countries and ways to enhance and support them, in addition to several topics of mutual interest.

His Excellency Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Sultan bin Saad Al Muraikhi met on Monday with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, David van Weel. The meeting took place on the margins of the 29th joint ministerial meeting between the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and the European Union (EU), convened in Kuwait. The two sides discussed advancing bilateral cooperation, as well as a variety of topics of shared interest.

Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi met with Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands David van Weel on the sidelines of the 29th Joint Ministerial Meeting between the GCC and the European Union, currently taking place in Kuwait. The meeting discussed ways to enhance the GCC-Dutch relations and the strategic partnership between the GCC and the European Union, in a manner that serves common interests. The two sides also exchanged views on the latest regional and international developments. Albudaiwi commended the Netherlands' balanced positions and expressed hope that it would recognize the State of Palestine, a step that would support efforts to achieve the two-state solution and promote security and stability in the region.

The 29th joint ministerial meeting between the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and the European Union (EU) kicked off today in Kuwait with the participation of foreign ministers and senior officials from both sides. The meeting will address a number of regional and international topics of common interest, including developments in the Middle East, ways to enhance trade and energy corporation, and efforts to combat climate change. It will also follow up on the implementation of the outcomes of the first GCC-EU summit held in Brussels last year. In this context, Kuwaiti Minister of Foreign Affairs and Chairman of the current session of the GCC Ministerial Council, Abdullah Al-Yahya said in a speech at the launch of the joint ministerial meeting that the convening of the GCC-EU meeting embodies the shared desire to continue building on the solid achievements of cooperation and coordination. He added that regional and international events have proven that common challenges, most notably terrorism, foreign interventions, threats to maritime security, and humanitarian crises, require collective coordination and cooperation to enhance the stability of peoples and support peace and development. He stressed the need to launch joint initiatives that reflect a commitment to collective solutions and international solidarity. He also affirmed the two sides' keenness to enhance cooperation in the areas of regional security, energy security, the green economy, digital transformation, advanced technology, and cultural and educational exchange, to serve the aspirations of their peoples for a more stable and prosperous future. On the Palestinian cause, the Kuwaiti Foreign Minister affirmed that it remains a top priority for the GCC as a matter of right and justice. He condemned the humanitarian tragedies experienced by the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip due to the siege, destruction, and displacement, calling on the international community to take urgent action to stop the violations and enable the Palestinian people to establish their independent state on the June 4, 1967, borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital. He also commended the efforts made by US President Donald Trump to stop the war in Gaza and the joint initiative adopted by Saudi Arabia and France to hold an international conference to implement the two-state solution. He also welcomed the announcement by a number of friendly European countries of their recognition of the State of Palestine, expressing hope that this recognition would expand in support of a just and comprehensive peace. The Kuwaiti Foreign Minister expressed the country's support for Syria's path toward stability and reconstruction, and for ongoing efforts to strengthen Lebanon's sovereignty and stability. He called on all parties in Yemen, Sudan, Somalia, and Libya to prevail and engage in political dialogue that achieves security, unity, and sovereignty for these countries.

The gross domestic product (GDP) of Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries at current prices reached $588.1 billion at the end of the first quarter of 2025, compared with $570.9 billion in the same period of 2024, reflecting a 3% annual increase, according to data issued by the GCC Statistical Center (GCC-Stat). The statistics indicated that non-oil activities contributed 73.2% to the GCC's GDP at current prices by the end of the first quarter of 2025, while oil activities accounted for 26.8%. At constant prices, the GCC's GDP recorded marginal quarterly growth of 0.1% in the first quarter of 2025, compared with $587.8 billion in the fourth quarter of 2024. The figures highlight the region's continued progress in diversifying its economic base, supported by sustained expansion in non-oil sectors across member states.

Qatar participated Saturday in the 88th meeting of the Gulf Health Council of the Gulf Co-operation Council (GCC) and the 11th meeting of the GCC Health Ministers Committee in Kuwait.Qatar delegation was headed by HE the Minister of Public Health, Mansoor bin Ebrahim al-Mahmoud.The two meetings reviewed topics related to joint Gulf health co-operation and action.The 88th meeting of the Gulf Health Council focused on significant issues, including an update of the unified Gulf Health Strategy 2026-2030.The 11th meeting of the GCC Health Ministers Committee addressed several key topics, notably the GSS Strategy for Combating Drugs 2025-2026, health insurance, the outcomes of unifying the classification and registration procedures for health specialities, healthy cities, and the Gulf Virtual Health Platform.Speaking during the 11th meeting of the Committee of GCC Health Ministers, GCC Secretary-General Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi affirmed that the Gulf health system has achieved great development in recent years by upgrading its health systems, qualifying national cadres to be at the highest levels of efficiency, elevating their capabilities for disease prevention and control, as well as expanding the scope of initiatives aimed at improving the quality of medical services, thereby surpassing the regional and global averages in the health index.Albudaiwi affirmed that the GCC countries are moving with confident steps towards completing the process of Gulf health integration by unifying common health standards and protocols and building strategic partnerships with international organisations and leading countries in the health field.“The GCC countries are working in partnership with the World Health Organisation (WHO) on the project to accredit the Healthy Cities Programme, which seeks to achieve the highest level of health and well-being in sustainable and socially effective cities,” he pointed out.Albudaiwi underscored that health represents the fundamental pillar of comprehensive development and the most important investment in the future of man and society, saying: “The GCC countries have been keen to transform this belief into a tangible reality that is reflected in the lives of Gulf citizens and residents.”The GCC secretary-general mentioned that there are many gains achieved by the GCC countries in the health field, including that more than 204,000 Gulf citizens benefited from government medical services in the GCC countries outside their home countries during 2023, in implementation of the principle of equal treatment among citizens of the GCC countries.“The total number of hospitals in the GCC countries has exceeded 863, with an average annual growth of 1.5%, and the number of health centres and complexes has exceeded 3,400 health facilities, with an average annual growth of 2.5%,” Albudaiwi added.He added: “The General Secretariat, in co-ordination with the Ministries of Health and relevant authorities, also implemented the experimental indicative classification programme for 783 male and female doctors from GCC countries working outside their countries during 2025, in support of national competencies and to strengthen an integrated Gulf health system. The statistics of these gains are living proof of the depth of health integration among the GCC countries and of our common determination to build a solid health sector that guarantees a better life for our citizens.”

The State of Qatar participated in the 124th meeting of the Financial and Economic Cooperation Committee of the GCC countries, held in the capital of the State of Kuwait. His Excellency Minister of Finance Ali bin Ahmed Al Kuwari led the State of Qatar's delegation participating in the meeting. During the meeting, approval was granted for the outcomes of the 85th meeting of the Committee of Central Bank Governors, the outcomes of the meetings of the Customs Union Authority, and the 15th meeting of the Committee of Tax Administrations. In addition, discussions were held regarding the development of a comprehensive electronic system to serve all types of indirect taxes. The meeting also addressed the latest developments in the negotiations of free trade agreements between the GCC countries and other nations and international blocs, as well as the programme for achieving economic unity among GCC member states by the year 2025. This was alongside a number of topics of mutual interest to the GCC states aimed at achieving economic integration and enhancing innovation and economic resilience in the face of common challenges.