Joint military and security action: 27 - The Supreme Council approved the decisions of the Joint Defense Council at its sixteenth session, stressing keenness to implement them according to the relevant procedures and regulations. It blessed the conclusions reached by the Joint Defense Council in the various military fields, including with regard to confronting the growing threats against the GCC states, especially the threat of navigation in the Arab Gulf and international straits, and completing the activation of the unified military leadership, and developing and sustaining joint military projects. 28 - The Supreme Council approved the findings of the study on the establishment of the Gulf Academy for Strategic and Security Studies, and the credits allocated to the Academy, funded equally by member states in the budget of 2022, provided that the courses of the academy start as of the Academic Year 2023/2024. 29- The Supreme Council welcomed the opening of the official headquarters of the International Alliance for the Protection and Safety of Maritime Navigation and ensuring the safety of sea lanes in the Kingdom of Bahrain, in November 2019, aiming to provide a safe atmosphere to ensure freedom of maritime navigation, international trade, and the start of its duties led by the United States of America and the membership of the United Arab Emirates, the Kingdom of Bahrain, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the State of Qatar, the State of Kuwait, the United Kingdom, Australia, and Albania, stressing that this will enhance the security and protection of maritime navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, the Sea of Oman, and Bab al-Mandab. 30 - The Supreme Council endorsed the decisions of the interior ministers at their meeting (36) held in the Sultanate of Oman, in October 2019, and expressed satisfaction with the achievements made in the security field. 31- The Supreme Council reviewed the ongoing preparations for conducting the tactical exercise (Arab Gulf Security 2), which will be held in the United Arab Emirates during the month of February 2020, confirming the importance of the exercise in enhancing security cooperation between the states of the GCC and the professional compatibility between the concerned agencies to consolidate, support security and deterrence to whoever tries to prejudice the security and stability of the region. --More 21:23 LOCAL TIME 18:23 GMT 0049 www.spa.gov.sa/w1226187