Lieutenant General Theyab bin Saqr Al Nuaimi, Chief of Staff of Bahrain Defence Force (BDF), chaired Tuesday the Supreme Military Committee meeting of Chiefs of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) member states.
The meeting was attended by Lieutenant General Issa Saif bin Ablan Al Mazrouei, Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the United Arab Emirates; General Fayyadh bin Hamed Al Ruwaili, Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; Vice Admiral Abdullah bin Khamis Al Raisi, Chief of Staff of the Sultan’s Armed Forces of the Sultanate of Oman; Lieutenant General (Pilot) Jassim bin Mohammed Al Mannai, Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the State of Qatar; Lieutenant General Khaled Daraj Al Shuraian, Chief of the General Staff of the Kuwait Army.
Major General (Pilot) Issa bin Rashid Al Muhannadi, Assistant Secretary General for Military Affairs at the GCC General Secretariat; and Major General Abdulaziz bin Ahmed Al Balawi, Commander of the Unified Military Command of the GCC, also attended the meeting.
At the outset of the meeting, the BDF Chief of Staff welcomed his counterparts from the GCC member states, the Assistant Secretary General for Military Affairs, and the Commander of the Unified Military Command.
He expressed his pleasure at their participation in the meeting, which reflects Bahrain’s steadfast commitment to strengthening joint military cooperation among the GCC states, Bahrain News Agency (BNA) reported.
The Chief of Staff conveyed the greetings and appreciation of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces; His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince, Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces and Prime Minister; and Field Marshal Shaikh Khalifa bin Ahmed Al Khalifa, Commander-in-Chief of the Bahrain Defence Force. He also conveyed their best wishes for the success of the meeting.
In his address, the BDF Chief of Staff said that the GCC states were collectively facing a systematic Iranian aggression targeting their countries. He noted that the attacks had heavily affected civilians and endangered the safety of maritime navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, harming the interests of GCC states and the wider region. He added that such attacks had placed innocent lives at risk in disregard of international laws, treaties and conventions, underscoring the need for full solidarity and a unified stance to confront these hostile acts.
He added that the exceptional security challenges facing the region require the establishment of a comprehensive practical framework for joint military cooperation, founded on the close bonds, shared objectives and common destiny of the GCC states, as well as the agreements and treaties binding them together. He expressed hope that the meeting would serve as a strong platform for enhancing collective action, adopting coordinated measures, fulfilling shared responsibilities to preserve regional security and stability, and strengthening rapid response capabilities to address threats to the security and stability of the GCC states and the region.
Concluding his remarks, the Chief of Staff expressed hope that the meeting would mark a significant step towards reinforcing unity and consolidating joint efforts to confront these attacks, thereby safeguarding the security, stability and safety of the GCC states and the wider region. He prayed for the success of the meeting and for continued progress and prosperity for the GCC states and their peoples.
Major General (Pilot) Issa bin Rashid Al Muhannadi, Assistant Secretary General for Military Affairs at the GCC General Secretariat, also delivered a speech, conveying the greetings of Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi, Secretary General of the Gulf Cooperation Council, and his wishes for the meeting’s success.
Following the meeting, His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, Supreme Commander of the Bahrain Armed Forces, received all delegates who participated in the meeting.
His Majesty expressed appreciation for the Chiefs of Staff for their efforts in strengthening cooperation, coordination, and integration among GCC countries in military and defence areas, and for their unified stance in countering any threat to the security and stability of the region
His Majesty further commended the important role of GCC Armed Forces in protecting the security, stability, sovereignty, and achievements of member states, and the safety of their citizens and residents.
