KUWAIT CITY, Jan 20: Brigadier General Dr. Rashid Al-Marri, Head of the GCC Emergency Management Center (EMC) at the GCC General Secretariat, emphasized the significance of the "Isnad 1" exercise in addressing potential risks faced by the region’s countries. He highlighted the importance of coordinating and unifying efforts among GCC agencies in emergency situations.

In a statement to Kuwait News Agency (KUNA) at the conclusion of the three-day "Isnad 1" exercise held at the center's headquarters, Brigadier General Al-Marri explained that the exercise was preceded by meetings and workshops over the past two years, providing a valuable opportunity to train Gulf personnel in managing emergencies.

He mentioned that the exercise focused on addressing a range of risks that could impact the region, including epidemics, diseases, ship accidents, marine pollution, oil spills, cybersecurity threats, population displacement, radioactive and nuclear hazards, among others.

Al-Marri added that the participating Gulf teams reviewed the final report of the exercise, which highlighted key lessons learned from the practical experiences shared by experts and technical teams. These experiences, based on extensive studies, were incorporated into well-structured plans for handling any risks or disasters that may occur in GCC countries through collective efforts.

He noted that at the conclusion of the meetings, the center would announce the recommendations derived from the exercise. These recommendations will be aimed at addressing potential risks and harnessing available resources to provide assistance to affected countries. Al-Marri emphasized that the exercise allowed participants to develop various scenarios to effectively respond to potential risks.

The Brigadier General also acknowledged the valuable cooperation of GCC agencies and their active participation in the exercise, with each country contributing its best experts. He expressed his gratitude for the support of GCC Secretary-General Jassim Al-Budaiwi, which contributed to the success of all the center’s activities.

Meanwhile, Nour Al-Shabli, Director of the Planning and Preparedness Department at the center, also spoke to KUNA about the importance of the "Isnad 1" exercise. She explained that the exercise tested the mechanism for transferring information and support between GCC member states during regional emergencies.

Al-Shabli clarified that a regional danger refers to a threat that extends beyond a single country’s borders or one that occurs in a member state requiring assistance from another country. She noted that a key objective of the exercise was to evaluate communication methods between member states and participants to analyze inputs effectively.

She further stated that the exercise successfully met its objectives and demonstrated the readiness of participating teams, as they completed 50 tasks within 8 hours on October 21. Al-Shabli concluded that the exercise's success, along with the recommendations for improving future training, was thoroughly discussed.