GCC Secretary-General: Gulf parliamentary efforts contributed to enhancing legislative convergence

Riyadh, Nov 4 (KUNA) -- Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Jasem Al-Budaiwi said on Wednesday that the parliamentary efforts of the GCC legislative councils have contributed to enhancing legislative convergence and advancing the GCC parliamentary cooperation agenda toward broader horizons.

The Secretariat stated that this remark was made during Al-Budaiwi’s address via video link at the 20th meeting of the heads of the Councils of Shura, the House of Representatives, the National Assembly, and the Majlis al-Umma in GCC member states. The meeting was chaired by Saudi Council of Shura Chairman Sheikh Dr. Abdullah Al al-Sheikh and attended by Kuwaiti Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs Shuraidh Al-Muwasharji.

Al-Budaiwi expressed his appreciation for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, under the leadership of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, for its support of the GCC’s progress. He also commended the Saudi Council of Shura Chairman for holding the meeting despite current circumstances that prevented an in-person gathering. Furthermore, he praised the positive role of the Kingdom of Bahrain and the achievements realized during its chairmanship of the Council in the field of joint GCC parliamentary work, commending the efforts of Bahraini House of Representatives Speaker Ahmed Al-Musallam, who also serves as Chairman of the Executive Committee of the GCC Parliamentary Branch.

Al-Budaiwi condemned Iranian attacks on GCC member states, whether carried out directly or through their proxies, including strikes on civilian facilities and vital infrastructure, as well as threats to navigation security and commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz, the Bab al-Mandab, and the Red Sea. He emphasized that such actions constitute violations of international law and pose a threat to regional and international peace and security.

He reiterated his condemnation of Houthi attacks on the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and its holy sites, stressing the necessity of concerted GCC efforts to safeguard the sovereignty, security, and stability of the member states.

Al-Budaiwi affirmed that the rapid developments in the region necessitate consolidating GCC unity and enhancing coordination and solidarity among member states. He stressed that the security of GCC member states is indivisible, and that any threat to the security of one member state affects the security of all members.

On parliamentary matters, he clarified that cooperation and coordination among GCC legislative councils have yielded decisions that contributed to the integration of joint parliamentary work. He commended the outcomes of the seminar organized by the GCC Parliamentary Branch in the Kingdom of Bahrain on the GCC digital economy.

He noted that the seminar addressed several key topics, including legislation, infrastructure development, enhancing contributions to gross domestic product, stimulating investments, and protecting GCC societies on digital platforms. He emphasized the importance of leveraging the seminar’s recommendations to support GCC cooperation pathways in this field.

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