(MENAFN- Kuwait News Agency (KUNA)) MANAMA, Dec 3 (KUNA) -- The leaders of Gulf Arab states agreed to further solidify unity within the six-member bloc as part of ambitions to keep development in the region on an upward trajectory, according to a declaration issued after a summit on Wednesday.
Such a measure stems from the "joint values and intertwined fates" that have long been a hallmark of the "historic and brotherly" relations that bind Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) member states, the declaration underlined after the 46th GCC summit in Sakhir area, south of the Bahraini capital Manama.
Since the bloc's inception in 1981, its pioneers and founding fathers had backed all efforts aiming to usher in greater development, security and prosperity in the Gulf Arab region, an ideology shared by GCC leaders to this very day, all of whom expressed their glee over the achievements seen in member states as of late, it said.
Respecting the sovereignty of GCC member states and the non-interference in their internal affairs was another core matter the declaration underlined, saying any threat to the security and stability of a member state was tantamount to targeting the Riyadh-based bloc as a whole, it emphasized, while rejecting the use of force or threatening rhetoric.
As part of efforts to stifle all conflicts and unrest plaguing the Middle East region, the declaration vociferously called for an end to the war on the Gaza Strip and allow the unimpeded delivery of aid to the Palestinian enclave, inevitably leading to the formation of an independent Palestinian state based on 1967 border lines, with East Jerusalem as its capital.
Accelerating initiatives to build a digital-based economy as part of efforts to keep growth steady was another matter highlighted in the declaration, encompassing trade and tourism, in addition to investment in strategic projects across the areas of infrastructure, transport, energy and telecommunications, it said, citing these measures as instrumental towards bolstering sustainable economic growth.
The Gulf Arab leaders went on to agree on the necessity to bolster cooperation in key realms running the gamut from technology and Artificial Intelligence to cybersecurity, all of which comprise "knowledge integration" efforts and the exchange of knowhow over the proper use of digital infrastructure, it added.
On the fight against climate change, the declaration backed "sustainable initiatives" that include efforts to cut greenhouse gas emissions to achieve carbon neutrality, in addition to green initiatives as part of common GCC endeavors to promote environmental sustainability while cushioning the worsening impacts of climate change.
The declaration reiterated the need to ratchet up "strategic cooperation" in a bid to bolster the Gulf Arab region's security and stability, while bringing common goals and ambitions to fruition, it said, highlighting the bloc's unwavering belief in these principles. (end)
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