His Excellency Mr Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi, Secretary General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), received His Excellency Mr Anas Sarwar, Minister of State for Trade at the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade of the United Kingdom (UK), today, Monday (31 August 2026), at the General Secretariat headquarters in Riyadh.
During the meeting, both sides discussed a number of topics of mutual concern, most notably reviewing the strategic partnership relations between the GCC and the United Kingdom, and ways to develop and bolster them in service of common interests.
They also followed up on the latest updates regarding the negotiations for the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between both sides. Both parties underscored the significance of intensifying efforts and overcoming obstacles facing the agreement, which will contribute to advancing mutual interests and realising a shared vision for promising and sustainable economic growth, embodying a new and established phase in GCC-UK economic relations.
