His Excellency Mr Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi, Secretary General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), affirmed that the meeting embodies the continuation of a well-established path launched in 2007, driven by the sincere will of Their Majesties and Highnesses the leaders of the GCC countries to solidify a unified Gulf parliamentary position and support the GCC's journey in various legislative, political, and humanitarian fields, towards greater integration and unity.
These remarks came during the 19th meeting of Their Excellencies the Speakers of the Shura, Representatives, National, and Ummah Councils of the GCC countries, held today, Thursday, November 13, 2025, in the Bahraini capital, Manama. The meeting was chaired by His Excellency Mr Ahmed bin Salman Al Musallam, Speaker of the Council of Representatives of the Kingdom of Bahrain, and attended by Their Excellencies the Speakers of the Shura, Representatives, National, and Ummah Councils of the GCC states.
At the beginning of his speech, His Excellency Mr Albudaiwi extended his highest expressions of thanks, appreciation, and gratitude to His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, the King of the Kingdom of Bahrain, for the generous care and great attention His Majesty devotes to the journey of joint Gulf action. His Excellency also extended his sincere congratulations to His Excellency Mr Hassan bin Abdullah Al Ghanim, Speaker of the Shura Council of the State of Qatar, on his election as Speaker of the Council, wishing him all success in performing his duties.
Moreover, His Excellency applauded the significant achievements made during the presidency of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) over the esteemed committee's work, which enhanced the Gulf parliamentary cooperation process and contributed to establishing its effective presence in regional and international forums.
"Among the fruits of those efforts was the first parliamentary meeting between the GCC countries and the European Union (EU), hosted by Abu Dhabi in June 2025, which earned praise at the 29th Joint Ministerial Meeting between the GCC and the EU, held in the State of Kuwait on October 6, 2025," His Excellency explained.
He emphasised the importance of continuing constructive parliamentary dialogues between the two sides, as it represents a bridge for understanding and promoting common values and interests.
Furthermore, His Excellency stressed the distinguished role of the symposium organised by the Federal National Council titled "The Legislative Role of Gulf Legislative Councils in AI Governance: Reality, Challenges, and Future Prospects."
This symposium constituted a qualitative step in the joint parliamentary work process and resulted in pioneering recommendations towards building a unified Gulf vision for AI governance and preparing an indicative legislative tool that supports legal and technical integration among the GCC states.
At the conclusion of his speech, His Excellency Mr Albudaiwi said that "We are confident this meeting will be a qualitative addition to the GCC parliamentary work journey, a source of outcomes that lead to building a more unified and integrated future, enhancing parliamentary presence in international arenas, and embedding the humanitarian values that the GCC states believe in across various forums."
