GCC Secretary General Dr. Nayef Al-Hajraf said members of Arab Gulf bloc, now entering its 5th decade, would focus on overturning the impacts of Covid-19 on their economies and restoring economic growth. The GCC member countries are keen on resuming free trade discussions and strategic partnerships with other countries, Al-Hajraf said in a statement after meeting with His Highness the Amir Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah to deliver an invitation from Saudi King Salman for the 41st GCC Summit, due in Riyadh on January 5.
“The GCC will also seek to further integrate and enhance its competitiveness on the global stage,” said Al-Hajraf who appreciated His Highness the Amir’s unequivocal efforts to strengthen the GCC and broaden its horizon.
He added the GCC would focus today on the ambitions of the region’s young and digital population, and enabling them to compete and lead in a globally-connected post-pandemic world, through joint efforts to restore economic growth, resume free trade negotiations, and strengthen strategic partnerships with friendly countries. The GCC is one of the biggest economic blocs with a GDP of USD 1.6 trillion and exports amounting to USD 609.5 billion, making it the sixth-largest exporter in the world, he noted.