His Excellency Mr Jasem Mohammed Albudaiwi, Secretary General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), affirmed that the Gulf economy is achieving growth exceeding the global average, and the Gulf labour market has grown by 25% in four years thanks to the ambitious development visions of the Council states.
His Excellency's statements were made during his speech at the 11th meeting of the Committee of Labour Ministers of the GCC countries, today, Thursday, September 4, 2025, in Kuwait City, chaired by Her Excellency Dr Amthal Hadi Haif Al Huwailah, Minister of Social Affairs and Family and Childhood Affairs, on behalf of the First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Shaikh Fahad Yusuf Saud Al Sabah of the State of Kuwait who is the President of the current session. Present in the meeting were Their Excellencies the Ministers of Labour in the GCC countries.
At the beginning of his speech, His Excellency extended his highest thanks, appreciation, and gratitude to His Highness Shaikh Meshal Al Ahmad Al Jaber Al Sabah, the Amir of the State of Kuwait, for hosting the blessed meeting, and for the facilities and support provided by the State of Kuwait for the success of the work of the Cooperation Council, emphasising the generous support and constant attention that joint Gulf action receives from His Highness and his brothers, Their Majesties and Highnesses, the leaders of the GCC states, in all fields.
His Excellency also expressed his thanks to Her Excellency Dr Amthal Hadi Haif Al Huwailah, Minister of Social Affairs and Family and Childhood Affairs of the State of Kuwait, and all the employees of the Ministry for their generous hospitality, good reception, and organisation. His Excellency also welcomed the joining of His Excellency Mr Yousif bin Abdulhussain Khalaf, Minister of Legal Affairs and Acting Minister of Labour in the Kingdom of Bahrain, to the membership of the esteemed committee, wishing him success in his duties.
His Excellency explained that the committee meeting is being held in light of positive economic and social indicators that inspire optimism, as the International Monetary Fund has projected the economies of the GCC countries to grow by 4.1% in 2026, which is above the global average. "This is driven by growth in the non-oil sectors which have become the main engine of development thanks to ambitious visions and development projects," His Excellency explained.
Moreover, His Excellency pointed out that the GCC labour market has witnessed remarkable growth in recent years, as the number of workers in the GCC countries increased from about 27.9 million in 2020 to about 34.9 million in 2024, an increase of 24.8%. "This reflects the success of policies aimed at reducing unemployment rates and expanding the role of the private sector, in addition to developing skills and increasing investment in the region," His Excellency stated.
Moreover, His Excellency the GCC Secretary General underlined that Gulf societies, with their vitality and youthful energy, constitute a real wealth and an inexhaustible source of creativity, as participation rates in the Gulf labour market have exceeded the global average. "This requires the development of labour policies capable of absorbing these energies and employing them in the best possible way," His Excellency underscored.
Furthermore, His Excellency praised the tangible progress in the field of empowering Gulf women, pointing to the increase in the percentage of female citizens in the total national workforce to 40.2% in the second quarter of 2024, compared to 36.4% in 2019, considering this a testament to the success of policies aimed at promoting gender balance and providing a supportive work environment for women.
Finally, His Excellency explained that the meeting's agenda is full of many important topics, foremost among them the approval of a set of initiatives and executive projects for the occupational safety and health strategy, and the study of challenges related to irregular employment, with the aim of protecting the rights of all parties and maintaining the stability and balance of the Gulf labor markets.
