Tourism Breaking News
It was announced by His Excellency Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi, Secretary General of the Gulf Cooperation Council that GCC states have unanimously approved a Schengen style GCC tourism visa, at a meeting of regional interior minsters at the GCC summit in Muscat, Oman on November 8
According to the Secretariat news, His Excellency Mr Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi, Secretary General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), stated that the unified GCC tourist visa project represents a new achievement which is added to the blessed accomplishments made by the Cooperation Council, in light of the sound directives of Their Majesties and Highnesses, the leaders of the GCC who placed close attention to the achievements of the GCC security cooperation.
His Excellency’s remarks came during the 40th meeting of Their Highnesses and Excellencies the Interior Ministers of the GCC which took place under the chairmanship of His Excellency Sayyed Hamoud bin Faisal Al Busaidi, Minister of Interior of Oman and President of the current session, in the Omani capital Muscat. Present in the meeting were Their Highnesses and Excellencies the Ministers of Interior in the GCC member states.
At the beginning of his speech, His Excellency the Secretary General extended the highest expressions of thanks, appreciation and gratitude to His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tariq Al Said, Sultan of the Sultanate of Oman and Chairman of the current session of the GCC Supreme Council, and to the esteemed government of the Sultanate of Oman and the honourable people of the Sultanate, for their backing and tireless efforts made to support the joint GCC action to maintain the Council’s march and progress in order to achieve the lofty goals of the aspirations of the citizens of the Council countries and the quest for more cohesion, cooperation and integration among the Council’s countries, presenting his sincere thanks to His Excellency Sayyed Hamoud bin Faisal Al Busaidi for the generous hosting, the warm reception, and the distinguished organisation of the meeting.
Moreover, His Excellency the Secretary General said that the GCC countries have become, by the grace of Allah the Almighty and under the leadership of Their Majesties and Highnesses the leaders of the Council, countries that are exemplary in terms of the progress and prosperity they have achieved at all levels, as well as the regional and international status they have reached in development, especially the development of the GCC citizen.
Furthermore, he stated that making these accomplishments by the GCC countries and continuing to achieve one success after another requires securing a high level of national security, and ensuring monitoring and deterrence of everything that may hinder this blessed march that the GCC countries have achieved in record time, as attested by everyone far and near.
His Excellency pointed out during his speech that the increasing danger of the scourge of drugs, which has become worrying for society at all levels, requires everyone to work hand in hand to confront its spread among the youth of the Council countries according to a unified strategy that addresses all fronts (prevention – control – treatment).
Additionally, he hailed the multiple national campaigns undertaken by the GCC countries, in addition to the great efforts made by security personnel in combating drugs in the Council member states, stressing that their efforts stem from their sense of responsibility towards their role in protecting their homelands from the danger of this scourge that targets our youth and communities.
During the meeting, a number of important security issues were discussed that would enhance joint security work, most notably the implementation of the unified GCC tourist visa project according to a specific timeframe, in addition to the launch of the project of electronically linking traffic violations between the Council countries in its first phase, directing the preparation of a “Comprehensive GCC Strategy to Combat Drugs”, and reviewing security awareness campaigns.
On the sidelines of the meeting, a ceremony was held to honour the winning researches of the Prince Nayef bin Abdulaziz Award for Security Research for the period 2022-2023.
