New york: Secretary General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi affirmed that the convening by the GCC General Secretariat of the symposium titled "Challenges Posed by Non-State Armed Groups" on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), with high-level international participation, reflects member states' steadfast commitment to addressing this critical issue and advancing regional and international security and stability.
According to Saudi Press Agency, this announcement came during Albudaiwi's opening keynote at the symposium organized by the GCC General Secretariat in New York, on the sidelines of the 81st session of the UNGA, coinciding with the International Day of Peace. The event was attended by several ministers and senior officials from brotherly and friendly nations.
AlBudaiwi emphasized that the presence of armed groups operating outside official state structures poses a challenge that extends beyond security dimensions. This presence directly undermines national sovereignty, independent decision-making, the rule of law, and a country's ability to protect its borders and citizens. He affirmed the GCC's clear and firm stance on this matter: there can be no sovereignty alongside dual arsenals, and no stability when military decisions are made outside legitimate state institutions.
He further explained that investing in peace is not limited to quelling conflicts after they arise. It begins with establishing strong institutions capable of protecting citizens, enforcing the law, and providing security, justice, and opportunity. Institutional fragility and the erosion of a state's authority across its territory create political and security vacuums that armed groups exploit to expand their influence and dispute sovereign authority.
Albudaiwi noted that the gravity of this phenomenon increases when armed groups independently acquire weapons and resources or align with external sponsors providing financing, armaments, and training. This phenomenon has become a growing global challenge, with armed groups in the region deploying ballistic missiles and drones to threaten neighboring states and international navigation.
AlBudaiwi indicated that the GCC member states base their position on the UN Charter and resolutions of international legitimacy, which mandate the exclusive authority of the state and the restriction of arms to official forces. He recalled the Gulf role in supporting political solutions and strengthening state institutions, including the Taif Agreement in 1989 and the GCC Initiative and its Executive Mechanism in Yemen in 2011.
He affirmed that the GCC member states continue to support the efforts of regional nations - including Yemen, Lebanon, Iraq, and Syria - to enforce the rule of law and confine weapons to the state, alongside supporting recovery, development, and addressing the humanitarian consequences of conflicts.
In his closing remarks, AlBudaiwi called on the international community to assume its responsibilities by halting the transfer of weapons, financing, training, and military technologies to armed groups, holding their backers accountable, ensuring strict enforcement of arms embargoes, and tightening oversight of missile and drone transfers. He also called for supporting governments in strengthening their military, security, and judicial capabilities, and linking disarmament, demobilization, and reintegration (DDR) programs with development and reconstruction. He reaffirmed that the GCC will remain a steadfast partner to regional nations in restoring their full sovereignty and an active ally to the UN and the international community in safeguarding peace and security.