Wednesday, February 15, 2023 – 12:47 AM
DUBAI, 15th February, 2020 (WAM) — His Excellency Jassim Al-Budaiwi, Secretary-General of the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf, affirmed that the GCC countries have made several achievements in terms of developing the performance of their governments, in line with the development and many technologies reached by the international community, pointing out that The Council has laid solid foundations since its inception in 1981, and clear goals in all fields that have drawn the civilization and future of its countries, which, with its development indicators, have become a clear beacon of integration and interdependence, working to ensure a promising and sustainable future for the Arab Gulf states system.
During a keynote speech at the World Government Summit 2023, His Excellency stressed that “the joint Gulf projects, which have been implemented in the past years, have become an important tributary for the Gulf economy, contributing to societal development and raising the quality of life of the peoples of the GCC countries.”
His Excellency reviewed the Council’s achievements in the field of energy; Since its inception in 1997, the “Gulf” electrical interconnection project has achieved economic savings of $1,149 million. In the field of energy, the GCC countries have also adopted efforts that have contributed to supporting energy security and ensuring its continuity.
He added, “In addition to this, the GCC countries achieved an annual growth of 90% in the installed capacity of renewable energy for the Council, from 2016 to 2020.”
The Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council shed light on the most prominent decisions that contributed to supporting this sector, as he said: “The GCC countries have developed a comprehensive developed development strategy in the field of energy, and approved the future strategic plan for the electric power system of the Cooperation Council.”
He stressed that thanks to these and other efforts, the GCC countries have become among the top ten countries in the world in the field of sustainable energy, and “perhaps the best example of this is the UAE’s hosting of the” COP 28 “conference on climate change, which indicates the keenness of the GCC countries to diversify energy sources. to ensure its sustainability.
His Excellency touched on the achievements of the GCC countries in the field of mobility, as he referred to the issuance of approval to establish the railway authority, which will link the member states, with what constitutes a very important economic tributary, and a huge development project that facilitates commercial movement and the movement of population in the region.
As for the development of the Gulf financial sector, he referred to the establishment of the Gulf Payments Company, and linking the Gulf central banks together, in a way that enhances the financial and economic standing of the GCC countries, as many of the GCC countries have become among the best financial centers in the global index classification.
With regard to the health sector, His Excellency Jassim Al-Budaiwi affirmed the Council’s keenness to provide the best health services to all citizens of its countries, through the establishment and development of the Gulf Health Council. He referred to the recent establishment of the Gulf Center for Disease Prevention and Control, explaining that among the signs of interest in the Gulf health sector The Gulf health system has developed many plans to confront any health pandemic.
And he noted the food security efforts made by the Council, through an ambitious vision aimed at cooperation with international organizations concerned in this regard, and the issuance of unified laws related to food safety, as the countries of the Council topped the first six positions in food security indicators.
He said: “We must highlight the efforts of the GCC states in empowering women and enhancing their status in society. Thanks to the wise decisions of the leaders of the GCC states, they have become strongly involved in advancing the wheel of development. Gulf women, whose achievements we are proud of, have become an important element in the Gulf development process. Especially since she now occupies important leadership positions at various levels.
Asim Al-Khouli