NATO Regional Centre in Kuwait concludes advanced crisis communication course with Gulf participation

Kuwait – The NATO Regional Cooperation Centre (NRCC) and the Istanbul Cooperation Initiative (ICI) concluded today, Thursday, an advanced training course on public affairs titled “Crisis Communication,” held in Kuwait in collaboration with the Public Affairs Regional Centre (PARC) in the Republic of North Macedonia from October 25 to 29. The course was attended by representatives from the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries.

In a statement to the Kuwait News Agency (KUNA), the Director of the NATO Regional Cooperation Centre and the Istanbul Cooperation Initiative, Counsellor Emad Al-Kandari, praised the participants’ positive engagement and their contributions to enriching discussions and practical exercises focused on developing media and institutional communication skills and professionally handling media interactions during crises.

Al-Kandari stated that the course helped enhance participants’ capacities in preparing and organizing press conferences, addressing the public, and understanding the operational mechanisms of official media operations centers. It also aimed at developing professional skills for interacting with media outlets and social media platforms.

He added that the training program paid special attention to mechanisms for countering disinformation, raising public awareness, and reassuring the public during crises, thereby strengthening trust in official institutions and improving institutional communication efficiency in addressing various challenges.

He clarified that the outstanding interaction between participants and trainers contributed to achieving the course objectives, facilitating the exchange of expertise and practical experiences, which added value to their professional careers and enhanced their readiness to assume media communication roles and represent their organizations as official spokespersons in the future.

Al-Kandari expressed his appreciation to the participants and congratulated them on successfully completing the advanced course, emphasizing the importance of leveraging the acquired knowledge and skills in their work environments to contribute to the development of media and institutional performance.

He also extended his gratitude to the trainers from NATO and the Public Affairs Regional Centre (PARC) for their efforts in delivering the training program and sharing their specialized expertise with the participants.

He reaffirmed the continued commitment of the Regional Centre in Kuwait to support and develop regional capacities and strengthen cooperation with NATO and partner countries across various fields, particularly through training programs that keep pace with rapid developments and current and future needs, contributing to enhancing institutional readiness to confront crises and challenges. (End) Y.T. / A.M.H.