KUWAIT CITY, Jan. 8 (Xinhua) -- The Kuwaiti Emir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah called for cooperation between Gulf nations to face the growing challenges in region on Monday.

He made the remarks at the opening ceremony of the 11th meeting of chairpersons and speakers of Shura, representatives councils and national assemblies of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), to be held in Kuwait on Monday.

In his speech the emir stressed the need for cooperation, consultation and meeting at all levels in order to face the deteriorating situation in the region and the growing challenges for the GCC.

Noting that these challenges cannot be faced individually, the emir said that collective action is the only way to address these challenges and maintain the gains and achievements accomplished by the GCC nations and peoples.

He highlighted the important role of the legislative bodies as representatives of the GCC countries in drawing the path of development, construction and communication under these delicate circumstances which require all to realize the dimensions and risks.

Adding that the Gulf states had seen prominent achievements within the last four decades in representing the Gulf region on an international level, the emir said that it is the GCC leaders' responsibility to meet the needs and hopes of their people by cooperating with each other to set a road map for development amid different growing challenges in the region.