KUWAIT CITY, Nov 12: The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) has approved the first phase of a “One-Stop Shop” travel system allowing Gulf nationals to complete all travel procedures at a single point, GCC Secretary-General Jassem Al-Budaiwi announced Wednesday.

Al-Budaiwi told Kuwait News Agency (KUNA) and Al-Akhbar TV that the system will initially be piloted for air travel between the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain in December. If successful, the project will be extended to all GCC member states once the required infrastructure is in place.

The announcement came on the sidelines of the 42nd GCC Interior Ministers’ meeting at Bayan Palace, which was attended by interior ministers from the six-member bloc. Al-Budaiwi said the meeting also produced a comprehensive Gulf Security Strategy for Combating Money Laundering (2026-2030) and a unified electronic system linking traffic violations across GCC countries.

The ministers agreed to hold a joint training exercise in Qatar next February and the first-ever Gulf Security Conference in Abu Dhabi in 2027. Al-Budaiwi emphasized the multifaceted coordination among GCC security agencies and ministries, noting that the ministers’ role is to provide the tools to strengthen regional security cooperation.

He highlighted the GCC’s growing regional and international standing as a hub for visitors, investors, and residents, reflecting the bloc’s sustained security and stability.

Al-Budaiwi reviewed recommendations from the undersecretaries’ meeting, including preparations for a Gulf Strategy workshop on Combating Cybercrime and Artificial Intelligence in cooperation with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), as well as a Gulf Strategy workshop on Combating Extremism 2026.

He commended the efforts of GCC interior ministers and their ministries for achieving joint security milestones, including the Gulf Strategy for Combating Drugs 2025-2028 and the successful linking of traffic violation systems among member states.

The Secretary-General expressed gratitude to His Highness the Amir of Kuwait, Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, for Kuwait’s leadership during its chairmanship of the session, and to First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Sheikh Fahad Yousef Saud Al-Sabah, along with the Kuwaiti Ministry of Interior, for their support in ensuring the success of the meeting.

Al-Budaiwi affirmed that the GCC Secretariat will continue its efforts to implement the joint security decisions and fulfill the directives of the interior ministers of member states.