(MENAFN- Kuwait News Agency (KUNA)) UN Wise-men Committee Member Sheikh Mohammad Sabah Al-Salem Al-Sabah stressed the need to transform the GCC bloc into an allied confederation - a move that will ensure transformation from a diplomatic form into a real politic entity to minimize the risks it is faced with, mainly to internal security.
Sheikh Mohammad made his remarks during the opening session of the second GCC National Security and Regional Security Conference.
The Kuwaiti official added the GCC council started three decades ago with a total population of 13 million, but now reached 47 million, half of whom are non- citizens, expatriates Arabs, and foreigners.
Sheikh Mohammad said that such imbalance of population represent a major challenge to the formulation from a security strategy point of view, noting that that any current differences or disputes in the Gulf as result of such demographic imbalance poses a threat to the security of the Gulf Cooperation Council.
Sheikh Mohammad explained that the council does not have the luxury to face these threats, stressing importance at the same time on the issue of national identity and belonging as the key factor in bringing stability and security.
For his part, Saudi Minister of Water and Electricity Abdullah Al-Hasin said that water security in the Gulf is one of the biggest challenges for the GCC countries, due to the high rate of water consumption among GCC citizens, particularly in recent years.
The minister added that this is a matter of concern because it could bring severe water shortages in the GCC due to irrational water consumption, pointing to the current almost absence of tariffs on water which would threatens dramatic shortages.
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