Nawaf Al-Enezi, Kuwait's Ambassador to Belgium and Head of Mission to the European Union and NATO, emphasized Kuwait's leadership in strengthening Gulf-NATO cooperation since becoming the first GCC state to join the Istanbul Cooperation Initiative (ICI) in 2004.

Key Highlights from Ambassador Al-Enezi's KUNA Interview:

1. Strategic Kuwait-NATO Partnership

Comprehensive Cooperation: Close collaboration in both traditional security and emerging threats like cybersecurity, counterterrorism, and energy security

Cyber Defense Leadership: Active participation in NATO-led initiatives on hybrid threats and cyber defense strategies

Regional Training Hub: The NATO-ICI Regional Center in Kuwait (est. 2017)—the first and only of its kind in the region—has trained personnel from:

✓ ICI members (Kuwait, UAE, Qatar, Bahrain)

✓ Non-ICI GCC states (Saudi Arabia, Oman)

✓ GCC General Secretariat representatives

2. 2025 Action Plan & Capacity Building

21+ planned courses/events to enhance interoperability and military modernization

Focus areas:

» Counterterrorism

» Crisis management

» Women’s empowerment in security

» Cyber defense

3. Military & Diplomatic Milestones

Key Agreements:

✓ Military Transit Agreement (2016-2017)

✓ Establishment of NATO-ICI Regional Center (2017)

High-Level Engagement:

✓ Hosted 3 NATO-GCC Foreign Ministers' Meetings (2006, 2017, 2019)

✓ 2006 summit marked NATO’s first Council meeting outside member states

UNGA 2024: Kuwait organized a high-level event celebrating ICI’s 20th anniversary under the patronage of H.H. the Crown Prince

4. Future Cooperation

Expansion into advanced defense tech, AI in security, and cyber-threat response

Kuwait’s Individual Partnership Program (IPP) 2024-2027—the first among ICI states—will deepen NATO collaboration