His Excellency made this statement during his participation in the 65th meeting of the Committee of Commercial Cooperation, which includes Their Excellencies the Ministers of Commerce in the GCC member states. The meeting took place on Thursday, September 14, 2023, in Salalah City, Sultanate of Oman, under the chairmanship of His Excellency Qais bin Mohammed Al Yousef, Minister of Commerce, Industry and Investment Promotion in the Sultanate of Oman, who is also the current session's chairperson. The meeting was attended by Their Excellencies the Ministers of Commerce from the GCC countries.

At the beginning of the meeting, His Excellency the Secretary General expressed his utmost gratitude and appreciation to His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tariq Al Said, the Sultan of Oman, who is the current chairman of the Supreme Council of the GCC for his sincere efforts and diligent work in enhancing the blessed journey of the GCC and for the support that the joint Gulf action receives from His Majesty. His Excellency also expressed his gratitude and appreciation to His Excellency the Minister of Commerce, Industry and Investment Promotion in the Sultanate of Oman for the warm reception, excellent organisation, and preparation of this meeting.

He stated that the past period has been full of achievements and fruitful work among the GCC countries, which has had a positive impact on the GCC citizens and residents, adding that the GCC countries have made progress in developing cooperation and integration in various economic fields, accelerating the pace of work to accomplish economic and developmental projects, aiming to achieve the desired economic unity among the Council member states and face global economic challenges. His Excellency explained that the Council's countries have also continued to enhance economic diversification, reform business environments, promote investment, support the role of the private sector, and develop and support human capital, underlining that the objective of all of these efforts was to enhance the position of the GCC countries as a global financial, investment, and economic hub.

His Excellency also pointed out that during the meeting, several topics were discussed with the aim of deepening integration among the GCC countries in the fields of domestic and foreign trade, consumer protection, small and medium-sized enterprises, and entrepreneurship, as well as the progress of negotiations for free trade agreements with countries and international blocs.