His Excellency Mr Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi, Secretary General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), confirmed that the extraordinary meeting of the Committee of Their Highnesses and Excellencies the Ministers Responsible for Tourism in the GCC countries reaffirmed the Council countries' support for the nomination of Her Excellency Ms Shaikha Al Nowais of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) for the post of Secretary General of the United Nations (UN) Tourism Organisation for the period 2026-2029.
This came during the extraordinary meeting of the Committee of Their Highnesses and Excellencies the Ministers Responsible for Tourism, which was held on Sunday (November 9, 2025), in Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
HE the Secretary General further stated that the Gulf consensus to support HE Ms Al Nowais embodies the continued influential presence of the GCC countries in international arenas, and reflects the efficiency of Gulf cadres and their ability to contribute to the development of the global tourism sector, while also confirming that supporting this nomination is consistent with the GCC countries’ direction towards enhancing the role of women and empowering them to assume leadership positions at the regional and international levels.