17th Arab Conference on Border Security Commences in Tunisia.

TUNISIA: The 17th Arab Conference of Heads of Borders, Airports, and Ports Security commenced on Wednesday at the General Secretariat of the Council of Arab Interior Ministers in Tunisia. The event saw participation from official border security agencies of Arab states, including representatives from Kuwait's interior ministry. According to Kuwait News Agency, the conference also included participation from the League of Arab States, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, the European Border and Coast Guard Agency, and Naif Arab University for Security Sciences. The primary aim of the gathering is to enhance communication among Arab border security agencies to tackle security threats effectively. In his opening remarks, Secretary-General of the Council, Mohammad Koman, highlighted the significant challenges Arab countries face concerning cross-border security. He noted the ongoing regional and global tensions and armed conflicts that have led to mass migration and increased asylum seekers. Koman als o emphasized the evolving nature of smuggling methods, such as the use of drones and submarines, necessitating coordinated efforts and sharing of best practices among Arab nations. He stressed the importance of collaboration with regional security bodies like the African Union and the European Union to address these issues. Further, Koman pointed out the exacerbating factors such as the high cost of living and climate changes, which threaten traditional development patterns and could lead to increased illegal immigration and vulnerability to terrorist and criminal organizations. He highlighted the Arab region's susceptibility to drug trafficking, migrant smuggling, and human trafficking due to its strategic location. The conference agenda includes discussions on establishing communication mechanisms between national border security operations rooms in Arab countries. It will also review member states' experiences in integrating border crossings and tackling the use of drones and submarines in smuggling acti vities. Additionally, the conference will consider outcomes from the Second Euro-Arab Border Security Conference. Kuwait is represented at the conference by Brigadier Yousef Saeed Al-Azmi, Brigadier Abdullah Mohammad Al-Ajmi, and Brigadier Ahmad Mustafa Khan.