The United Arab Emirates highlighted the importance of strengthening the cooperation among ministries of youth and sports in Gulf Cooperation Council countries to confront the coronavirus pandemic. It also highlighted the role of the youth in protecting the region's communities from the negative effects of the global crisis. The UAE made this statement while chairing the 33rd meeting of GCC ministers of youth and sports, which approved the organization of the second edition of the Gulf Youth Forum, in cooperation with the Arab Youth Centre in Abu Dhabi. In his speech, Dr. Nayef Falah M. Al-Hajraf, Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council, GCC, thanked the UAE for its role in serving the Gulf and Arab youth and launching initiatives that developed their knowledge and expertise to serve their communities. He also thanked Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE's deputy premier and minister of presidential affairs and president of the Arab Youth Centre, for allocating a permanent hall at the center for the GCC, which reflects the council's identity and recognizes its role in serving Gulf and Arab youth causes, noting that the hall will host various GCC activities throughout the year. In her speech, Shamma bint Suhail Faris Al Mazrui, UAE minister of state for youth affairs, said: "The UAE, under the leadership of President Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE's vice president, premier and ruler of Dubai, and Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, crown prince of Abu Dhabi and deputy supreme commander of the UAE armed forces, and the UAE's supreme council members and rulers of the Emirates, strongly believes that the Gulf and Arab youth are the true capital of our region and the road to the future will be built by their hands." She also thanked the leaders of the GCC countries for believing in the youth, empowering them and developing their skills and capacities, as well as Dr. Al Hajraf and GCC ministers of youth and sports for their cooperation in serving the youth. — WAM
