The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Secretariat General, the Arab Youth Centre and the Federal Youth Authority inaugurated various partnerships to empower the region's youth, with the attendance of Dr. Nayef Falah M. Al Hajraf, GCC secretary-general, Sheikh Rashid Al Nuaimi, vice president of the Arab Youth Center, and Shamma Bint Suhail Faris Al Mazrui, minister of state for youth affairs, as well as ambassadors of GCC countries in the UAE, and Dina Assaf, resident representative of the United Nations (UN) in the UAE, during an event held at the center's headquarters here. The partnership aims to serve the youth in GCC and Arab countries, in general, through an action plan that will involve holding a range of events and youth programs, which empowers the youth and involves them in the implementation of development plans and economic visions in GCC countries. The event also witnessed the launch of innovative spaces at the center, which offers the youth from GCC countries a mutual space to communicate and work on programs, initiatives and activities that promote cooperation among all relevant authorities involved in youth activities and their empowerment, both regionally and internationally. During the event, Dr. Al Hajraf and Al Mazrui signed a Memorandum of Understanding between the GCC Secretariat-General and the center, to strengthen their cooperation in implementing youth initiatives, and inaugurated a related digital platform. Dr. Al Hajraf stressed that the partnership between the GCC Secretariat-General and the Arab Youth Centre is an important step towards their joint efforts to serve the youth, in light of the key role of young people in creating a promising future for their countries. Al Nuaimi said, "Today, we moved a step forward towards reinforcing GCC youth action, by establishing a partnership with a prominent GCC organization to serve the region's youth, achieve their priorities, and strengthen their capacities to communicate and represent our countries, values, identities and achievements, both regionally and globally. "In the GCC countries, we are lucky because our leaders are always close to the youth and welcome their ideas and ambitions, such as the case with the Arab Youth Centre, which was established three years ago upon the response of Sheikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, deputy prime minister and minister of presidential affairs, to the youths' aspirations." Al Mazrui, who is also the center's vice president, said, "In the Arab Youth Centre, we are looking forward to working with every individual, institution and sector in Arab and GCC countries and on a global level, to empower the Arab youth to accomplish achievements and innovate and turn their creative ideas into reality." — WAM
