GCC Secretary-General: Study the possibility of creating a water linkage project between member states

The Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), Jassem Al-Bedaiwi, said on Thursday that enhancing GCC integration in the electricity and water sectors constitutes one of the strategic pillars for consolidating the security of GCC member states and ensuring the sustainability of their development. The GCC Secretariat General stated that this remark was made during a speech delivered by Al-Bedaiwi at the extraordinary meeting of the GCC Electricity and Water Cooperation Committee, held via video conference and chaired by Bahrain’s Minister of Electricity and Water Affairs, Yasser Humaidan, who serves as the current chair of the committee, with the participation of committee members.

Al-Bedaiwi added that the move to strengthen the GCC power interconnection system and the study of the feasibility of establishing a water interconnection project among GCC states reflect the shared vision of GCC leaders toward building an integrated, more prepared, and efficient GCC system to face regional changes and developments, thereby ensuring the continuity of vital services and enhancing the common interests of GCC states and their peoples.

He emphasized that this meeting comes as a continuation of Gulf efforts to translate the directives of GCC leaders into joint strategic projects and initiatives, and to follow up on the implementation of decisions issued at the 19th Consultative Meeting held in Jeddah last April regarding the enhancement of cooperation and integration in strategic sectors, foremost among them electricity and water, given their status as fundamental pillars of developmental and economic security for GCC states.

He pointed out that the rapid developments witnessed in the region underscore the importance of elevating levels of coordination and GCC integration in managing vital resources, enhancing infrastructure readiness, improving efficiency, and strengthening the capacity to handle various circumstances. He affirmed that joint Gulf work in these two sectors constitutes an important path to enhancing the security and stability of GCC states and supporting their ability to continue their developmental journey steadily and sustainably.

Al-Bedaiwi clarified that the meeting discusses two main topics of strategic importance: the first concerns the results of studies on the feasibility of building water interconnection projects among GCC states, while the second addresses studies on strengthening the GCC power interconnection system, which contributes to supporting GCC integration pathways and developing cooperation systems in vital sectors.

He noted that the Secretariat General, in cooperation with member states and relevant authorities, has been following up on the preparation of technical studies related to these projects over the past period through a series of workshops and bilateral meetings with member states and the specialized consulting company, to complete data and technical observations and review study outputs at various stages, leading up to the meeting of deputies held on October 20 to discuss the results and outputs of these studies.

Al-Bedaiwi expressed his appreciation for the efforts made by member states and relevant authorities, in cooperation with the Secretariat General and the GCC Interconnection Authority, in preparing and following up on these studies. He emphasized the importance of building upon the technical and institutional efforts achieved to reach practical recommendations that support moving forward with these vital projects, with a view to submitting them to the GCC Supreme Council.