DOHA: Qatar has chaired ministerial meetings of the Gulf Cooperation Council's Commercial Cooperation Committee, Industrial Cooperation Committee, and Ministerial Committee for Standardization Affairs, along with the accompanying consultative meeting, held in Doha.
In a statement, the Ministry of Commerce and Industry said that Minister of Commerce and Industry HE Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad bin Qassim Al Thani chaired the meetings, which included the 66th meeting of the Commercial Cooperation Committee, the 52nd meeting of the Industrial Cooperation Committee, and the seventh meeting of the Ministerial Committee for Standardization Affairs. The Ministers of Commerce and Industry of the GCC countries, GCC Secretary-General Jassim Mohammed Al Budaiwi, and several undersecretaries of the GCC states participated in the meetings.
In his opening speech at the meetings, Minister of Commerce and Industry HE Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad bin Qassim Al Thani welcomed the ministers in Qatar, thanking the Sultanate of Oman for its efforts during its chairmanship of the meetings of the Commercial Cooperation Committee, Industrial Cooperation Committee and the Standardization Affairs Committee during the past year, adding that these efforts resulted in numerous fruitful and constructive outcomes and contributed to supporting and enhancing joint Gulf cooperation.
Hehighlighted the Gulf countries' keenness to develop the foundations of constructive cooperation in various sectors, including the commercial sector, which is considered an important driver of growth and a fundamental pillar for enhancing Gulf economic integration and supporting the efforts of the region's countries in their economic diversification plans, highlighting the opportunities this sector offers for creating income and jobs and increasing investments.He pointed out that the economic challenges facing the world today require the Gulf system to accelerate the pace of coordination and joint action to develop its various sectors, especially the industrial sector, which represents an important gateway to Gulf economic integration through adopting a unified manufacturing strategy that takes into account the priorities of the Gulf industry system.
Hecommended the efforts of the GCC Standardization Organization, emphasizing the need to continue its march in unifying and developing standardization activities in the GCC countries, contributing to enhancing Gulf products and industries and making them more competitive. He also stressed the importance of removing technical obstacles hindering the flow of goods and products to promote intra-trade and achieve the desired economic integration among the GCC countries.
In a related context, the Minister of Commerce and Industrychaired the consultative meeting between the Ministers of Commerce and Industry andheads of federations and chambers of the GCC countries.
During the meeting, they discussed the topics and recommendations raised by the heads of the federations of chambers of commerce of the GCC and took the appropriate decisions regarding them.