Their Highnesses, Excellencies, and Honorable Ministers of Youth and Sports from the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries held their 37th meeting on the morning of Saturday, May 11, 2024, in the Qatari capital, Doha. The meeting was chaired by His Excellency Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa bin Ahmed Al Thani, Minister of Sports and Youth of Qatar. It was attended by Their Highnesses, Excellencies, and Honorable Ministers of Youth and Sports from the GCC countries, as well as His Excellency Khalid bin Ali bin Salem Al-Sunaidi, Assistant Secretary-General for Economic and Development Affairs, representing the Secretary-General of the GCC.

The ministers expressed their highest gratitude and appreciation to Their Majesties and Highnesses, the leaders of the GCC countries, for their wise guidance and dedication to advancing the joint youth work in the Gulf. They emphasized the importance of enhancing cooperation, cohesion, and integration among the GCC countries and strengthening the council’s achievements. The leaders’ commitment to empowering youth in economic development, harnessing their creativity, creating suitable opportunities for them, and developing their skills and capabilities was acknowledged as essential for sustainable development.

The ministers discussed several topics of mutual interest in the field of youth within the GCC countries. Key among these was the restructuring of the technical committees affiliated with the Committee of Youth and Sports Ministers to align with the resolution of the esteemed Ministerial Council in its 150th session. The future work plan for the Committee of Youth and Sports Ministers for the years 2024-2030 was also reviewed.

The meeting considered a proposal from the General Secretariat to create unified Gulf projects in the field of youth work, ensuring continuous development of the joint youth work system. The Planning, Coordination, and Follow-up Committee of the Strategic Plan of the Committee of Youth and Sports Ministers was tasked with developing a “Gulf Youth Development Index” and preparing suitable executive plans that align with current and future developments, and the visions of the GCC countries in the youth sector.

The ministers welcomed Qatar’s readiness to organize a joint Gulf program in humanitarian volunteer work and Bahrain’s readiness to host the third Gulf Youth Forum in 2024. The general framework for Gulf Youth Day 2024, to be organized annually on June 6, was also approved.

The meeting emphasized the importance of enhancing international strategic partnerships and dialogues with countries and regional and international organizations in the youth field. The aim is to benefit from the outstanding expertise, experiences, and resources available in these countries to serve the youth of the GCC, helping them acquire the necessary skills and experiences to achieve their aspirations. The meeting also approved the recommendations from the joint working groups in the youth field between the GCC and the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan and the Kingdom of Morocco from meetings held in 2023. The recommendations and outcomes of the technical committees in the youth field, as well as the joint programs, activities, and events organized by the Youth and Sports Ministries, were also reviewed.