Interior Ministers of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries held their 38th meeting in Manama and discussed cyber security, combating drugs, and countering terrorism.
The meeting was held under the presidency of Bahrain’s Interior Minister and president of the current session General Shaikh Rashid bin Abdullah Al Khalifa.
GCC Sec-Gen Nayef al-Hajraf indicated that the ministers praised a proposal presented by Bahrain on the importance of revisiting and enhancing civil protection procedures through exchanging expertise and revising practical experiments in a way that guarantees the best public safety rates.
They also stressed the importance of enhancing cooperation mechanisms in the cybersecurity field, developing joint projects to combat crime, and enhancing collective security, the Saudi state agency SPA reported.
Hajraf indicated that they also welcomed the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) in cyber space and combating cybercrime between the ministries of the interior of Bahrain and the UAE on the sidelines of the ministerial meeting.
They lauded the alternative prison sentences program that Bahrain is implementing and its plans to adopt a program of reformation and open prisons.
At the meeting, Saudi Interior Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Saud said that the security and stability in GCC countries are an example compared to the deteriorating conditions of some countries that lack the simplest elements of security and stability.
He attributed that to the directives of the wise leaderships and their support to security efforts in facing terrorism, crime, anti-narcotics, and anything that might tamper with the security and safety of citizens and residents.
“Our multiple responsibilities grew bigger to preserve our countries’ achievements of security, stability, development, and prosperity, which require us to show more cooperation and coordination among our security apparatuses to have a safer future that is necessary to continue the process of construction and prosperity and to meet the aspirations of our leadership and peoples,” said the Minister.
The Minister stressed the need to intensify collective efforts to protect the GCC community against drugs that target their countries and citizens.
The meeting highlighted the significance of adopting a general vision to deal with narcotics and their impacts on all segments of society and enhancing rehabilitation programs through the cooperation of all public and private institutions to fortify the community against the dangers and repercussions of narcotics.
The officials reiterated the importance of intensifying coordination and cooperation among the GCC apparatuses concerned with combating organized crime and terrorism that target the security and stability of the GCC countries.
They also reviewed the ongoing preparations on the joint tactical drill for security apparatuses in the GCC countries “Arab Gulf Security 3”, which is scheduled for January 2022.
The ministers discussed the progress in the security network of interior ministries and the experiment of linking main operations rooms.
The meeting also addressed efforts exerted by the Gulf security apparatuses, such as the Doha-based GCC Criminal Information Center to Combat Drugs, GCC Emergency Management Center in Kuwait, GCC POL, and GCC Permanent Mission in Vienna.
They stressed the importance of the pivotal role that these institutions play in the sustainability of exchanging information, cooperation and coordination, which highlights the unity and interrelation of GCC security action.
The GCC ministers also hailed the efforts of the GCC Secretariat General in maintaining coordination among the GCC security apparatuses.
