ICI center vital hub for NATO-Gulf cooperation: Stoltenberg

First Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Sabah poses for a picture with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg following their meeting.

KUWAIT: It is imperative to bolster cooperation with regional and international organizations to cope with grave threats, chiefly, the 'scourge of terrorism,' Kuwaiti Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah said yesterday.

Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled made the remarks in a speech during the opening ceremony of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization's (NATO) Istanbul Cooperation Initiative (ICI) Regional Center, held under the auspices of His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Hamad Al-Sabah, who was also in attendance.  Moreover, he spoke of Kuwait's firm belief in how instrumental the new center, located in Mishref's Diplomatic Zone, will be in strengthening cooperation, which in turn, will uphold global peace and security. In his speech, the Kuwaiti Foreign Minister thanked state officials for their contributions to such a monumental event, commending all those involved for their "diligent efforts" to hold the ceremony.

Meanwhile, Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled noted that Kuwait joined the ICI back in 2004 and ties with NATO have since blossomed to include fields such as strategic analysis and disaster management. He added that the idea to initiate the ICI center came about in 2012 and was subsequently approved during a NATO summit in May of that year, as he touted this center as the "first of its kind" in the region.

Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled highlighted a plethora of joint activities held by NATO and Kuwait, including conferences, meetings and lectures, in addition to the impending formation of a special Kuwaiti delegation to NATO.

On "pervasive challenges and threats", he said it behooves Kuwait to step up efforts to enhance its ties with the international community to stifle the rise of terrorism, adding that the new center will be a Launchpad for increased cooperation.

Vital hub

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg had earlier inaugurated the NATO-Istanbul Cooperation Initiative (ICI) regional center, saying it was designed to contribute to long-term regional stability. "Today I am honored to celebrate the opening of the ICI-NATO Regional Centre. In doing so, we mark two important milestones: A milestone in the friendship between NATO and Kuwait; And a milestone in the blossoming partnership between NATO and the entire Gulf region," he said in his inaugural speech while opening the ICI center in Kuwait.

He said This Centre is a historic first: NATO's first such presence in the Gulf region.  It will be a vital hub for cooperation between the Alliance and our Gulf partners, as well as with Saudi Arabia, Oman, and the Gulf Cooperation Council, including in our important fight against terrorism.

He said that they will work together in a range of different areas, including: strategic analysis; civil emergency planning; military-to-military cooperation.  "We owe a debt of gratitude to Sheikh Thamer Ali Al-Sabah. So I thank him for his leadership and steadfast support. I also want to thank the State of Kuwait in hosting and the people of Kuwait for your generosity and in hosting this Centre, for being such a strong and valued NATO partner and for your long-standing leadership in promoting regional security," said the NATO chief.

Stoltenberg stressed that the partnerships will strengthen through this Centre are vitally important to NATO. "Because the security of Gulf countries is directly linked to the security of all Allies, we face common security threats like terrorism, weapons proliferation, and cyber-attacks. And we share the same aspirations for peace and for stability. So it is essential that we work more closely together than ever before," he said.  "We have now developed individual cooperation programs with all our Gulf partners.  Because modern security institutions and well-trained local forces represent our best weapons in the fight against violent extremism," he said.  The NATO chief said he is extremely pleased that the three other ICI partners are represented here today: Bahrain, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. "I am also glad to welcome the Secretary General of the Gulf Cooperation, and the representatives from Saudi Arabia and Oman," he added.

Regional stability

In the meantime, Chairman of the National Security Bureau (NSB) Sheikh Thamer Ali Sabah Al-Salem Al-Sabah said that Kuwait is steadfast in its efforts to promote regional peace and security. Speaking during the ceremony, Sheikh Thamer Al-Ali noted that the center, which was Kuwait's brainchild, aims to align the views of ICI member nations on various issues, through courses, lectures and workshops to be held in the new ICI center.

On topics to be covered in courses offered by the center, he said it includes electronic security and crisis management, adding that the world is rife with political and economic conflicts with ripple effects all across the globe. Moreover, Sheikh Thamer Al-Ali said that conflict abounds in the Gulf region despite an abundance of wealth, as he underscored the significance of closer ties between Kuwait and NATO.

Senior officials

Other officials who attended the ceremony included Bahraini Foreign Minister Sheikh Khaled bin Ahmad Al-Khalifa, Former Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohammad Sabah Al-Salem Al-Sabah, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Sheikh Khaled Al-Jarrah Al-Sabah, Secretary General of the GCC Dr Abdullatif bin Rashid Al-Zayani, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Khaled Suleiman Al-Jarallah, in addition to a number of GCC and Foreign diplomats.

After Sheikh Thamer Al-Ali, Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled, and NATO's Secretary General Stoltenberg delivered speeches, an accord for the establishment and operation of the ICI center was signed between Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled and Stoltenberg. A documentary, showcasing Kuwait's efforts in hosting the center, was displayed during the event.

Stoltenberg met with Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled after his arrival to Kuwait on Monday evening.  During the meeting, Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled reaffirmed keenness to expand cooperation with the NATO, adding that Kuwait's cooperation with the organization witnessed a turning point when the Arab Gulf country joined the Islamic Cooperation Initiative (ICI) in 2014. Stoltenberg thanked Kuwait for hosting the Regional Center, commending the Arab Gulf country's "important and constructive" role to security and stability at the regional and international levels. - KUNA