His Excellency Mr Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi, Secretary General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), underscored that youth in the GCC states represent a fundamental cornerstone in accordance with the visions and directives of Their Majesties and Highnesses, the Leaders of the GCC member states, stemming from a firm belief in their pivotal role in the development journey, as an active national force contributing to shaping the future of the member states, bolstering their competitiveness, and consolidating the foundations of their sustainable prosperity.
His Excellency pointed out that this focus has been clearly reflected in the national visions and strategies of the GCC states, which have placed investment in human capital and the development of human capabilities at the core of their priorities, while expanding youth participation across various sectors and fostering an enabling environment for creativity, innovation, and entrepreneurship, empowering them to play a more effective role in socio-economic development.
His Excellency's remarks came during the 39th Meeting of the Committee of Their Highnesses and Excellencies Ministers of Youth and Sports in the GCC States, held today, Wednesday (2 September 2026), in the Bahraini capital, Manama. The meeting was chaired by His Highness Shaikh Khalid bin Hamad Al Khalifa, First Deputy Chairman of the Supreme Council for Youth and Sports of the Kingdom of Bahrain, President of the General Sports Authority (GSA) of the Kingdom of Bahrain, and President of the Bahrain Olympic Committee (BOC)—President of the current session—with the participation of Their Highnesses and Excellencies the Ministers of Youth and Sports across the GCC member states.
At the outset of his address, His Excellency the GCC Secretary General 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—President of the current session of the GCC Supreme Council—for the Kingdom of Bahrain’s hosting of the 39th Meeting of the Committee of Their Highnesses and Excellencies Ministers of Youth and Sports, and for the facilities and support extended by the Kingdom of Bahrain to ensure the success of the GCC's work, commending the continuous support and attention joint Gulf action receives from His Majesty and Their Majesties and Highnesses, the Leaders of the GCC states, across all domains.
During his speech, His Excellency highlighted the qualitative youth initiatives and programmes witnessed across the GCC states, including the United Arab Emirates’ (UAE) launch of the "Youth Spaces" initiative, the Kingdom of Bahrain’s organisation of "Youth City 2030", the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s hosting of the 27th Arabian Gulf Cup, the Sultanate of Oman’s launch of the "Youth Ambassadors" programme, the State of Qatar’s adoption of the "Youth Creativity in Data" Award, and the State of Kuwait’s launch of the "Kuwait Tech Entrepreneurship" programme.
In a related context, His Excellency underlined that these initiatives and events clearly embody the prominent standing youth hold within the priorities of Their Highnesses and Excellencies the Ministers of Youth and Sports in the GCC states, as well as the outstanding efforts exerted to translate the directives of Their Majesties and Highnesses, the Leaders of the GCC member states, into pioneering initiatives that invest in the potential of youth, hone their capabilities, expand their horizons of participation, and empower them to contribute effectively to shaping the future of their nations and advancing the journey of joint Gulf development.
