Youth top priority for GCC nations, says Al-Zayani

Abdullatif bin Rashid Al-Zayani, the GCC secretary-general, launched on Thursday a conference entitled “Youth in Council Cooperation: Increasing Growth” at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Riyadh.
In his opening address, Al-Zayani said that youth are the most important priority in the collaboration of the GCC countries.
About 700 young men and women from the Gulf countries attended the conference. It was held to implement the resolution made during the GCC summit in Bahrain in December 2012, in which it was agreed that the development of human resources was instrumental in achieving unity and prosperity.
Al-Zayani said, “It is believed that human resources are the most important source of power and progress to achieve security and stability for citizens. In this connection, GCC countries must work hard to promote its youth.”
He said that this could be achieved by implementing the five goals of protection, stability and security, which is to increase sustainable growth; enhance human resources and risk management in emergencies and foster regional and international cooperation.
Al-Zayani, who used to teach “Quantitative Methods” at the University of Bahrain, called on youth from GCC countries to be positive and optimistic regarding their capabilities in the world labor market and to show leadership skills.
He is the fifth GCC secretary general and the first from the military top brass to hold such a position since the bloc was established.