GCF Chairman Top Initiatives in 2014
GULFNET: February 2014, Dr. Nabil Elaraby, the Secretary General of the Arab League, addressed at the Crisis and Emergency Management Conference 2014 in Abu Dhabi the issue of “The Future of Collective Arab Action” and asked member nations to develop common policies to deal with economic, political, social and security problems, as the region was facing challenges that affected its security and needed to be addressed through cooperation. The scope of threats needing to be explored includes hybrid challenges, threats posed to human security, health security, cyber security, border security, maritime security and energy security. These are also among the main focus areas of the Global Challenges Forum Foundation. Over the past decade, the member states of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) have made important strides in developing some of their own defensive capabilities, strengthening their bilateral relationships with Western militaries, and integrating their armed forces. They have learned how making significant investment in relevant research and training can lead to more effective defense systems. The key question has become what it needs to strengthen existing capabilities beyond what it has already achieved. As Dr. Elaraby stated: “Complex events require an ability to read and analyze all the information and to give decision makers proper knowledge to make good decisions at good times. … That requires a rapid ability to gather information … to guarantee effective response and provide good recovery.” At the same time as Dr. Elaraby spoke on these times, GCF Foundation Chairman, Dr. Walter Christman, was also in Abu Dhabi and made a major presentation on behalf of the GCF Foundation Board at the C4ISR Summit on ways and means of implementation. In a presentation supported by Mr. Steven Moore, Vice President of Booz Allen Hamilton, Dr. Christman proposed the establishment of “GULFNET: A GCC Network-Enabled Capability for Regional Education, Training and Exercises.” GULFNET is envisioned to develop a shared knowledge capability between the relevant GCC ministries dealing with defense, interior and of homeland security (MOD), including the existing Defense Science & Technology Laboratories and relevant industry. It would provide a unique collaborative environment which enables the GCC bodies, the involved governments, involved administration, research facilities and industry to work together to make informed decisions. The vision related to GULFNET is to promote effective risk and crisis management through networked Simulation & Training facilities via linking the GCC Joint Command with member states, their respective command and control centers, simulation and training centers and respective industrial and research facilities in order to: