His Highness the Amir has restored Kuwait’s splendor, says GCC head

• Jassim Al-Budaiwi, Secretary-General of the GCC, shared that Gulf citizens widely support Kuwait’s progress, noting that Kuwait holds a special place for all and highlighted that leaders and officials praised His Highness the Amir Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah’s reforms and offered their assistance.

• Al-Budaiwi highlighted that the skills he developed during his childhood, through experiences in the Al-Faiha Diwans, high school, and from his family, shaped his leadership thinking. Al-Budaiwi’s diplomatic career began with postings in Japan, Austria, and the U.S. before returning to Kuwait.

• Al-Budaiwi shared that his father once made ‘fashqa’ bullets and would sometimes return home with bloody hands from explosions, though by the time he was born, his father had shifted from weapon sales to selling construction materials as the trade disappeared from Kuwait.

In a special episode of the Masrah Al-Hayat program, Jassim Al-Budaiwi, Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), shared personal experiences and his vision for the region. The insightful discussion, hosted by media figure Ali Al-Aliani, was aired on Al-Rai TV and the ROD platform.

During the meeting, Al-Budaiwi reflected on significant moments in his life, moving between the past and present, from his childhood and adolescence to his studies that shaped his personality and leadership thinking. He also shared family memories that highlight the authenticity of Kuwaiti and Gulf society, as reported by Al Rai newspaper.

He discussed major issues affecting the Gulf, from economic integration to the GCC’s role in addressing regional and international challenges, and the diplomatic efforts to enhance the region’s global standing.

The meeting revealed new aspects of Al-Budaiwi’s personality, including his aspirations to develop joint Gulf action and ensure the GCC remains a key pillar for regional stability and prosperity.

Childhood and adolescence

Jassim Al-Budaiwi explained that many skills he developed during his childhood and adolescence shaped his life. These skills were acquired through experiences in the Al-Faiha Diwans, high school, and from his father and older brothers, recalling how these formative years shaped his leadership thinking.

Al-Budaiwi calls for stronger monitoring of today’s tech-savvy generation

Al-Budaiwi emphasized that the principles his generation was raised on are challenging to apply to today’s children due to technological advancements. He stressed the importance of monitoring and setting boundaries for this generation.

Selling “Fashqa”

Al-Budaiwi spoke about touching family memories, sharing that his family told him his father used to “sell weapons” and make “fashqa” bullets. They recalled that his father would sometimes return home with bloody hands from the explosion of “fashqa.” He noted that by the time he was born, this trade had disappeared from Kuwait, and his father had transitioned to selling construction materials.

Kuwait relied on pearls and trade before oil was discovered

He explained that his father’s life—marked by the death of his mother when he was two, his upbringing with his maternal uncles, the loss of one of his eyes, and a difficult life—mirrored Kuwait’s own journey. Despite these hardships, his father built himself up before the discovery of oil, just as Kuwait relied on pearls and trade before oil was discovered.

He added that Kuwait’s first oil shipment was in 1946, and its sovereign fund was established in 1953, eight years before independence. He emphasized that the Gulf countries are thriving thanks to the wise leadership and loyal citizens.

Al-Budaiwi highlighted that Kuwait’s sovereign fund is one of the most successful globally, and that Gulf sovereign funds hold about 33% of global investments, reflecting sound planning and foresight.

Diplomatic career

He shared that his diplomatic career began with stops in Japan, Austria, and the United States before returning to Kuwait. He then served as Kuwait’s ambassador to South Korea, Belgium, the European Union, and again the United States. He described this journey as a “tape repeating itself” between Asia, Europe, and America, before returning to Saudi Arabia as Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council.

The splendor of Kuwait

Al-Budaiwi recounted his first meeting with His Highness Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah in 2005 in Cleveland when the late Sheikh Jaber Al-Ahmad was receiving treatment. The Kuwaiti embassy arranged a rotating schedule, with Al-Budaiwi assigned to stay with the delegation. When his shift ended, they insisted he remain, and he had the honor of serving the late Sheikh Jaber, who was dearly loved.

“There, my relationship with His Highness the Amir Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad began. We used to meet every morning in the diwaniya. At that time, His Highness didn’t hold an official position, but he would sometimes talk about the Kuwait Municipality’s issues and the state budget from twenty years ago. When he assumed power and we entered a new era, we saw the reforms, and His Highness restored Kuwait’s splendor and leadership,” he added.

He continued that “Everyone saw the last Gulf Cup tournament in Kuwait and how the tournament’s glory returned, with hotels filling up with fans. This is the era we hope for and feel. Since His Highness initiated reforms on all levels, we truly feel we are moving in the right direction.”

Regarding the Gulf people’s view of the movement in Kuwait, he said that “Everyone welcomes what’s happening in Kuwait. Kuwait holds a special place for everyone, and all the leaders and officials I met praised the many reform steps taken by His Highness the Amir. They all expressed their readiness to assist.”

GCC has achieved many milestones

Commenting on some opinions that claim the GCC has not achieved tangible results for the region’s people, Al-Budaiwi said that “The GCC was established in 1981 and has achieved many milestones, including unified political positions, the successful electricity interconnection project, ongoing trade between GCC countries, and the planned completion of the customs union by 2025. Despite major challenges, we are working to overcome them, and significant progress has been made in the common Gulf market, though some challenges remain.”

“We are on the right track, but we are slightly behind,” he added, noting that the European Union “began in the 1950s, 30 years ahead of us, and even now, they are not fully aligned on visas, currency, or the common market. They face their own challenges as well.”

Strategic outlook of GCC nations

Regarding his approach as Secretary-General of the GCC amid differing foreign policies among member states, Al-Budaiwi stated that “The Gulf states all agree on the broad outlines, and the strongest evidence of this is the joint vision for regional security issued in March 2024. While there may be differences in the details of certain issues, our official statements remain satisfactory to all.”

Schengen visa exemption

Al-Budaiwi emphasized that “the final statement of the European-Gulf summit held in Brussels in October 2024 included a clear provision highlighting the importance of advancing the Schengen visa exemption for Gulf citizens. However, the Schengen visa issue is not a collective Gulf-European matter but rather a negotiation between each Gulf country and the EU separately. That said, all Gulf nations are eligible for the exemption.”

He added, “The Europeans stand to lose from delaying this decision, as the presence of Gulf citizens in Europe benefits their economies and contributes positively to their markets.”