Under the patronage and in the presence of His Royal Highness Prince Faisal bin Bandar bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Governor of the Riyadh Region, His Excellency Mr Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi, Secretary General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), participated in the Golden Jubilee celebration of the Arab Bureau of Education for the Gulf States (ABEGS), held on Wednesday, January 14, 2026, in Riyadh.
The event was attended by Their Excellencies the Ministers of Education of the GCC member states, along with heads of regional and international organisations.
At the outset of his speech, His Excellency expressed his profound gratitude and appreciation to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, and His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s hosting of ABEGS.
He also commended the continuous support provided to the education sector by Their Majesties and Highnesses, the GCC leaders, stemming from their firm belief that education is the cornerstone of nation-building, future-making, and the promotion of stability and sustainable development.
"The directives and patronage of Their Majesties and Highnesses the leaders of the GCC member states have been instrumental in enabling Gulf institutions, including ABEGS, to fulfill their noble mission and carry out their pioneering roles effectively," His Excellency stated.
Furthermore, His Excellency praised the valuable efforts and participation of colleagues from the Republic of Yemen in the Bureau’s work and achievements.
His Excellency emphasised that for five decades, the Bureau has consistently enhanced its accomplishments and solidified its noble mission, driven by a steadfast belief that education represents the solid foundation for comprehensive development and the true lever for integration and progress.
"Throughout this distinguished journey, the Bureau has played an active role in supporting education policies, developing curricula, empowering teachers, building educational leadership, and reinforcing Gulf values and identity. This is in addition to keeping pace with rapid global transformations, most notably digital transformation and Artificial Intelligence (AI) applications," His Excellency underscored.
He highlighted that these efforts culminated in ABEGS receiving numerous international awards and accolades, reaffirming its leading role in promoting education across the GCC and the wider region.
His Excellency extended his sincere thanks to all personnel in the educational sector for their dedicated efforts in serving education within member states, and for the qualitative initiatives and pioneering projects that have contributed to unifying visions, exchanging expertise, and deepening educational cooperation.
His Excellency further thanked the Ministries of Education in member states for their close and fruitful cooperation with the Bureau and their continuous support for its programmes and activities, and their steadfast belief in the importance of integrated efforts in advancing education and achieving the shared goals "we aspire to for our sons and daughters".
His Excellency Mr Albudaiwi reaffirmed his full support for ABEGS, expressing confidence in its ability to continue its leading role in forecasting the future of education and building flexible, innovative educational models rooted in "our values and identity to prepare future generations for leadership".
In conclusion, His Excellency expressed his deepest gratitude to His Royal Highness Prince Faisal bin Bandar bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Governor of Riyadh, for his patronage and presence, and for his constant support of the GCC General Secretariat and its affiliated offices in Riyadh.
He beseeched Almighty Allah to bless all their collective efforts, to bestow continued security, stability, and prosperity upon us, and to grant the Bureau further success, contribution, and excellence in serving the education of "our children".
