NATO ICI Regional Ctr. In Kuwait Hub For Political Dialogue - Rep.

(MENAFN- Kuwait News Agency (KUNA)) Corrected repeat.

BRUSSELS, April 1 (KUNA) -- NATO Secretary General's Special Representative for the Southern Neighborhood, Javier Colomina, said on Tuesday that the NATO ICI Regional Centre (Istanbul Cooperation Initiative) hosted in Kuwait provides a platform for political dialogue between NATO and its Gulf partners. The center allows for discussions on global security challenges, developing a shared understanding, and identifying opportunities for practical cooperation. Since its inauguration in January 2017, the center has become an important regional hub for cooperation on security issues between NATO and the region through political dialogue, education, training, and public diplomacy, said Colomina in a statement to KUNA. The center has conducted 101 events under political dialogue (events, conferences, and visits) and 56 military training courses. He pointed out that in 2024, the center addressed topics such as climate change, food security, maritime security, and more with participation from NATO and Kuwait, including NATO Assistant Secretary General for Political Affairs and Security Policy, Ambassador Boris Ruge, and Commodore Sheikh Mubarak Ali Al-Sabah, Director General of Kuwait's Coast Guard. Colomina noted that one of the center's objectives is to target youth, as the center hosted the "Young Ambassadors" program in February 2025 in cooperation with the British and Canadian embassies as well as the United Nations. He emphasized that the bilateral partnership between Kuwait and NATO includes political dialogue and practical cooperation, especially in cybersecurity and counterterrorism, as agreed in the "Partnership Program" in 2024, which continues until 2027. Colomina added that Kuwait participates in multilevel political consultations to exchange views on peace and security issues in the Gulf and the Middle East. Kuwaiti civilians and military personnel participate in courses and training programs provided by NATO in areas such as civil emergency planning, counterterrorism, defense reform, and nuclear nonproliferation. He mentioned that Kuwait was the first country to join the Istanbul Initiative in 2004, which reflects mutual interests between NATO and its Gulf partners. Moreover, he emphasised that this initiative has two main pillars: political dialogue and practical cooperation, and that currently, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, and the UAE are involved. Colomina referred to the visit made by former NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg to Kuwait in 2019 to mark the 15th anniversary of the initiative, as well as the special celebration of the initiative's 20th anniversary organized under the patronage of His Highness the Crown Prince Sheikh Sabah Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah. He explained that at the NATO Washington Summit in July 2024, alliance leaders approved an action plan to expand NATO's strategic and effective approach toward the Gulf, the Middle East, and Africa, focusing on strengthening the use of existing mechanisms such as the NATO-Istanbul Initiative Center. Therefore, he expected that 2025 is scheduled to be the most active year since the establishment of the center, with courses delivered to participants from all GCC countries on a range of topics. He added that the NATO Secretary-General has appointed a special representative for the Southern Neighborhood to be the central point of contact for the alliance in the region, enhancing NATO's vision and partnership with Gulf countries. Kuwait was the first Gulf country to join the Istanbul Cooperation Initiative, which has since played a pioneering role in advancing relations between NATO and the GCC countries. Kuwait has hosted three high-level meetings between NATO foreign ministers and the GCC (2006, 2017, 2019), with the NATO Secretary-General's participation. The 2006 meeting was the first NATO Council meeting held outside member countries, titled "NATO and the Gulf: Facing Common Challenges through the Istanbul Initiative." Kuwait is also the first country in the initiative to adopt the "Individually Tailored Partnership Program," a four-year framework (2024-2027) that enhances cooperation with NATO in various fields. In September 2024, Kuwait organized a high-level celebration at the UN General Assembly to mark the 20th anniversary of the initiative, under the patronage of His Highness the Crown Prince Sheikh Sabah Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah. A similar celebration took place in 2019 for the 15th anniversary. (end) arn

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