Arab Interior Ministers Council grants HM the King the Prince Naif Medal for Arab Security of the Excellent Class

TDT | Manama

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Their Highness and Excellencies Arab Ministers of Interiors Council granted, during the 42nd session meeting of the Arab Ministers of Interior Council in Tunisia, His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, the Prince Naif Medal for Arab Security of the Excellent Class. The award is given to leading figures at the level of heads of state and government who have presented or contributed to the achievement of pioneering work that promoted security and peace.

His Excellency Tunisian President Kais Saied received at the Presidential Palace in Carthage Their Highnesses and Excellencies the Ministers, in which he noted the importance of their meeting in strengthening joint Arab security cooperation.

His Excellency Interior Minister General Shaikh Rashid bin Abdullah Al Khalifa led the Kingdom of Bahrain’s delegation in the meeting, which was chaired by His Excellency Kuwaiti Minister of Defense, Sheikh Abdullah Ali Abdullah Al-Salem Al-Sabah, who took over the presidency of the session from His Excellency Qatari Minister of Interior and President of the previous session, Sheikh Khalifa bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani.

The meeting started with a speech by the Tunisian President, followed by a remark by His Royal Highness Saudi Minister of Interior and the council’s honourary president, Prince Abdulaziz bin Saud bin Naif bin Abdulaziz Al Saud. The council’s Secretary-General, Mohammed bin Ali Kuman, also delivered a speech.

The session commenced and included the following speech by HE the Interior Minister:

I would like to start my speech by thanking Tunisian President Kais Saied for patronising the session and Tunisian Minister of Interior Khaled Al-Nouri for his hospitality. I want to thank Qatari Minister of Interior Sheikh Khalifa bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani for the presidency of the previous session.

My thanks also go to the Secretary-General of the Arab Minister of Interior Council, Dr. Mohammed bin Ali Kuman, and all employees of the General Secretariat for their kind and commendable efforts in organising the meeting. Your Highnesses and Excellencies, out of our Arab security mission that asserts responsibility toward the safety of communities and protection of lives, especially in such tragic circumstances in some parts of the Arab region.

We have witnessed no security in multiple areas, and sincere citizens have randomly executed rescue operations. Thus, there is an urgent need to increase efforts to protect the general order, rescue operations, and help the injured. Brothers, these difficult and disastrous humanitarian situations call upon us to adopt an Arab strategy for public safety as one of our priorities, based on training civilians locally and regionally by preparing the necessary volunteers to ensure the existence of qualified teams in maintaining order, first aid, and rescue work, to deal with such dangerous circumstances and situations as soon as they occur, in a manner that meets security needs and safety requirements to achieve the necessary support during disasters.

In this context, I would like to thank my brother, Sheikh Fahad Yusuf Saud Al Sabah, Kuwaiti First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior for presiding over and organising the Sixth Arab Regional Forum for Disaster Risk Reduction, to emphasise the importance of enhancing coordination and consultation between Arab countries in this regard.

Your Highnesses and Excellencies, the world's rapid digital and technological transformation push us to keep pace with these transformations and developments, which requires us to expand the use of artificial intelligence applications in security fields and take into account the legal legislation needed to accommodate them, as well as determining risks of using them on our national security. For that, I propose to our esteemed council to assign an Arab team concerned with information technology crimes to study the matter and set a guideline for using artificial intelligence applications in our security programmes. Finally, I wish our council’s operations all the best in coming out with outcomes to reinforce stability, security and safety in our Arab world.

Their Highnesses and Excellencies Arab Ministers of Interior discussed the meeting’s agenda, projects and proposals, including the Council Secretary-General's report, which included the most important decisions of the security conferences held by the General Secretariat in 2024, the draft of an eleventh phased plan for the Arab strategy to combat the illicit use of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances, the draft of a seventh phased plan for the Arab strategy for civil protection and the draft of a second phased plan for the Arab strategy to confront information technology crimes, in addition to several other important topics, in which relevant decisions were taken.

In the same context, HE the Interior Minister held several meetings on the sidelines of the meeting with his Arab counterparts. He met His Highness United Arab Emirates Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior, Lt. General Sheikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan. During the meeting, HE the Interior Minister asserted brotherly and historical ties between the two countries. He appreciated the UAE's honourable stand towards Bahrain. Both sides discussed security cooperation and coordination between the Interior Ministries of the two countries.

He also met his Egyptian counterpart, Major-General Mahmoud Tawfik. He hailed the depth of the brotherly ties between the two countries and his dedication to promoting security cooperation in various fields.

HE the Interior Minister met Jordanian Interior Minister Mazen Abdellah Hilal al-Frayeh, and he appreciated the solid ties between the two countries. Both sides discussed security topics and means to promote cooperation and coordination in facing security challenges and regional and international changes. He also met Iraqi Interior Minister General Abdelamir Al Shammari, and both sides discussed topics that could promote security cooperation between the two countries and various related security topics.

He also met Portuguese Minister of Interior Margarida Blasco, who participated in the Arab Ministers of Interior Council meeting. Both sides asserted the significance of openness in reinforcing security. Various topics were reviewed, including civil protection and means to support security ties between the two states.
HE the Interior Minister was accompanied by Bahrain's Ambassador to Tunisia and several Interior Ministry officials.