KUWAIT CITY, Nov 12: First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Sheikh Fahad Yousef Saud Al-Sabah affirmed that the security and stability of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries form a unified and integrated system rooted in a shared destiny and common goals.

Delivering his speech as session chairman at the opening of the 42nd GCC Interior Ministers’ meeting held at Bayan Palace on Wednesday, Sheikh Fahad Al-Yousef said the gathering takes place amid rapid regional and global changes, underscoring the strategic necessity of enhancing security cooperation and integration among GCC states. The meeting was attended by interior ministers and heads of delegations from member countries.

Sheikh Fahad emphasized that joint Gulf security efforts have long served as a bulwark against threats targeting the region, including terrorism, extremism, and drug trafficking—issues that endanger the present and future of Gulf societies.

He called for continued collective Gulf efforts to combat the scourge of drugs through field coordination, exchange of expertise, and unified awareness campaigns. He also urged strengthening cooperation to confront organized crime, cybercrime, and money laundering through constant readiness and advanced coordination.

The minister stressed that evolving security challenges demand unified visions and coordinated procedures, developed through enhanced field mechanisms, information exchange, and investment in modern technologies and artificial intelligence to bolster security capabilities.

Sheikh Fahad noted that security today encompasses not only the protection of borders and the prevention of crime but also the safeguarding of individuals’ awareness, social stability, and well-being.

He further emphasized that building a conscious and responsible Gulf citizen forms the cornerstone of sustainable security, achieved through fostering belonging, loyalty, and a sense of shared responsibility between citizens and security authorities.

Reaffirming Kuwait’s steadfast commitment to all efforts that strengthen the Gulf security system, Sheikh Fahad highlighted that integration remains the path toward the comprehensive security aspired to by the peoples and leaders of the GCC.

He commended the efforts of GCC Secretary-General Jassem Al-Budaiwi and the Assistant Secretary-General for Security Affairs for their dedication to following up on and implementing the meeting’s decisions and recommendations, reaffirming that Kuwait will always support initiatives aimed at reinforcing Gulf security unity.