His Excellency Mr. Jassem Mohamed Albudaiwi, Secretary General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), stressed that there is a GCC-British agreement on the importance of moving forward to complete the negotiation rounds for the free trade agreement (FTA) between the two sides and to strive to sign this agreement during the current year.
This statement came after his Excellency's meeting with His Excellency Mr. Jonathan Reynolds, the UK's Secretary of State for Business and Trade, on Wednesday, July 10, 2024, in the United Kingdom, in the city of London.
At the beginning of the meeting, His Excellency extended his sincerest congratulations and blessings to the British Secretary of State for Business and Trade on the occasion of taking up his new position, wishing him full success and achievement.
During the meeting, a number of topics of mutual interest were discussed, the most prominent of which were the economic and trade cooperation relations between the Cooperation Council and the United Kingdom and ways to enhance and develop them.
The progress of the FTA negotiations between the two sides was also followed up, where both sides underscored their aspiration to accelerate the pace of the negotiations and to hold regular high-level meetings to complete it and sign it during the current year, as it will contribute to strengthening the strategic cooperation and partnership between the Cooperation Council and the United Kingdom.
In his statement, His Excellency the GCC Secretary General indicated that he sensed a great interest from the new British government and a sincere desire to complete the negotiation rounds for the FTA, which His Excellency Mr. Reynolds expressed his desire to have it signed before the end of 2024.