
GCC Ministerial Council to Meet in Makkah to Discuss Regional, Int'l Affairs
Kuwait's Minister of Foreign Affairs Abdullah Ali Abdullah Al Yahya, the current president of the Ministerial Council, will preside over the meeting, which will be attended by the GCC foreign ministers.
GCC Secretary General Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi said joint ministerial meetings will also be held with the Foreign Minister of Egypt Badr Abdelatty, Syrian FM Asaad Al Shibani, Moroccan FM Nasser Bourita and Jordan's FM and Deputy Prime Minister Ayman Safadi.
The discussions with Egypt, Syria, Morocco and Jordan will focus on boosting strategic relations and joint cooperation in various fields to achieve mutual interests, Albudaiwi said.
The meetings will continue consultation and coordination on regional and international issues with the aim of supporting regional security and stability.
Meanwhile, the GCC Ministerial Council will address several reports on the implementation of decisions taken by the Supreme Council of the GCC in Kuwait in December.
Discussions will also cover memorandums and reports submitted by ministerial and technical committees, as well as the General Secretariat.
Officials will tackle issues related to strategic dialogues and relations among the GCC, other states, and global blocs. The latest regional and international developments affecting the region will also be addressed.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Arab News
a day ago
- Arab News
GCC, Japan officials hold talks on trade, economy in Riyadh
RIYADH: The GCC's Secretary-General Jasem Albudaiwi and Japan's Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Morino Yasunari held talks in Riyadh on Tuesday. During their meeting at the headquarters of the GCC's general secretariat, the two officials discussed ways to boost relations. According to the Saudi Press Agency, they discussed preparations for Albudaiwi's visit to Japan this week, a review of free trade agreement negotiations, and a follow-up on the joint action plan for the period 2024-2028. On Monday, the GCC and Japan launched the second round of negotiations for a free trade agreement, with talks to be held in Tokyo until July 4.


Arab News
a day ago
- Arab News
Pakistan to launch Gulf ferry service from Gwadar to boost regional trade, connectivity
KARACHI: Pakistan announced its plans to launch a direct ferry service between Gwadar and Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries on Tuesday, saying it will strengthen regional ties, ease passenger movement and tap into new trade opportunities with the Middle Eastern market. The initiative is part of Pakistan's broader efforts to deepen economic linkages with GCC states, a region it has actively courted for trade, investment, employment and energy cooperation in recent years. 'The ferry service will strengthen people-to-people ties, boost tourism and provide a new economic lifeline for Balochistan,' said Federal Minister for Maritime Affairs Junaid Anwar Chaudhry, according to a government handout. 'It will create local employment, improve supporting infrastructure and attract private sector participation, especially in ship services, hospitality and transport,' he added. The ferry service is part of a broader government plan to scale up Gwadar Port's operational capacity. During a high-level meeting chaired by the minister in Islamabad, officials also discussed establishing new shipping lines linked to Gwadar to boost cargo movement, promote transit trade with Central Asia and the Middle East and strengthen Pakistan's role in the regional logistics network. 'We aim to transform Gwadar into a strategic transshipment and logistics center, benefiting Pakistan and the wider region,' Chaudhry said, directing relevant departments to accelerate integration of Gwadar into international maritime networks. Located in the volatile southwestern province of Balochistan, Gwadar Port was developed under the multibillion-dollar China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), a flagship project of China's Belt and Road Initiative. Despite its strategic location near Gulf shipping lanes, Gwadar has struggled to match the commercial activity of Pakistan's older ports in and around Karachi, which continue to dominate trade and industrial operations. Chaudhry said the new initiatives would help rebalance trade flows, reduce pressure on existing ports and position Gwadar as a gateway for regional connectivity. The ministry has begun consultations with shipping companies, maritime authorities and private operators to finalize technical, legal and logistical frameworks. Safety, affordability and environmental sustainability will be key considerations as the plans move toward implementation. The minister also reaffirmed the government's commitment to Pakistan's National Maritime Policy and long-term goal of expanding the country's blue economy through better port infrastructure and trade facilitation.


Arab News
2 days ago
- Arab News
Second round of GCC-Japan Free Trade Agreement negotiations to take place Monday
TOKYO: Saudi Arabia is set to participate in the second round of negotiations for the Free Trade Agreement between the Gulf Cooperation Council countries and Japan from June 30 to July 4. Represented by the General Authority of Foreign Trade and led by Fareed Al-Asaly, the deputy governor for international organizations and agreements, the Kingdom along with the GCC nations and Japan will address a wide range of topics, including trade in goods and services, sanitary and phytosanitary measures, technical barriers to trade, financial services, telecommunications, the movement of natural persons, intellectual property, dispute settlement, general provisions of the agreement, rules of origin, and trade facilitation. According to the Saudi Press Agency, the negotiations were preceded by coordination meetings of the GCC technical negotiation teams on June 29. The first round of negotiations took place in Riyadh on Dec. 12 last year.