Jassim Mohammed Al-Budaiwi, Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), reaffirmed Gulf countries' unwavering commitment to tackling environmental and climate issues.

Speaking at the Ocean Rise and Coastal Resilience Summit, taking place in advance of third United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC3) in Nice, France, Al-Budaiwi underscored the GCC’s strategy to intensify regional and global cooperation in climate adaptation.

He highlighted that the coastal zones of GCC nations are not only environmentally vulnerable but are also crucial for sustainable development and regional prosperity.

Organised by the governments of France and Costa Rica, the summit brought together global leaders, experts, and policymakers to issue key recommendations for coastal resilience and marine protection.

Al-Budaiwi noted the significant and ongoing efforts of GCC countries to safeguard the marine environment, particularly the Arabian Gulf, through policies and initiatives that are already yielding visible results.

He stressed the importance of adopting ambitious, actionable strategies rooted in local and international expertise to address growing environmental challenges.

The Secretary-General also emphasised that sustainable development and climate resilience are central to the visions of all GCC member states.

He called for urgent and collective action to transform climate pledges into measurable outcomes, especially in vulnerable coastal zones.