Regional Threats Require Unified GCC Response

Regional security and strengthening collective defence cooperation were the central focus of a high-level meeting of the Higher Military Committee of the Chiefs of Staff of the Armed Forces of Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states, held in the Kingdom of Bahrain.

The meeting was chaired by His Excellency Lieutenant General Dhiyab bin Saqr Al Nuaimi, Chief of Staff of the Bahrain Defence Force, and brought together senior military leaders from GCC member states.

Participants included His Excellency Lieutenant General Issa Saif bin Ablan Al Mazrouei, Chief of Staff of the UAE Armed Forces; His Excellency General Fayyad bin Hamed Al Ruwaili, Chief of General Staff of Saudi Arabia; His Excellency Vice Admiral Abdullah Khamis Al Raisi, Chief of Staff of the Sultan’s Armed Forces in Oman; His Excellency Lieutenant General (Pilot) Jassim Mohammed Al Mannai, Chief of Staff of the Qatar Armed Forces; His Excellency Lieutenant General Khaled Daj Shraian, Chief of the General Staff of the Kuwait Army; along with senior representatives from the GCC General Secretariat and the Unified Military Command.

At the opening session, the Bahraini Chief of Staff welcomed the delegations and emphasized the importance of advancing GCC cooperation in light of evolving regional security challenges. He described the meeting as a key platform to reinforce joint defence coordination and enhance collective readiness.

He also conveyed the greetings of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces; His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Crown Prince and Prime Minister; and Field Marshal Sheikh Khalifa bin Ahmed Al Khalifa, Commander-in-Chief of the Bahrain Defence Force, wishing the participants success in their deliberations.

The Bahraini Chief of Staff underlined the need for a unified and practical framework to address regional security developments, stressing the importance of strengthening coordination mechanisms, improving operational readiness, and ensuring rapid response capabilities among GCC armed forces.

He further noted that deeper military integration and sustained cooperation among GCC states are essential to safeguarding regional stability and addressing shared security challenges.

The Assistant Secretary-General for Military Affairs at the GCC General Secretariat, Major General (Pilot) Issa bin Rashid Al Mohannadi, also addressed the meeting, conveying the greetings of the GCC Secretary-General and expressing support for the discussions.

The meeting concluded with a reaffirmation by GCC military leaders of their commitment to enhancing joint defence cooperation and strengthening the region’s collective security architecture.