His Excellency Mr Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi, Secretary General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), participated in a high-level joint meeting today, Wednesday, January 21, 2026, in Davos, Switzerland.
The session convened several GCC ministers and the Right Honourable Rachel Reeves, Chancellor of the Exchequer of the United Kingdom (UK), on the sidelines of the 56th World Economic Forum (WEF) Annual Meeting.
The meeting was attended by His Excellency Mr Abdulla Adel Fakhro, Minister of Industry and Commerce of the Kingdom of Bahrain; His Excellency Dr Majid bin Abdullah Al Kassabi, Minister of Commerce of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; His Excellency Mr Bandar bin Ibrahim Al Khorayef, Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; His Excellency Mr Ahmad Al Sayed, Minister of State for Foreign Trade; and His Excellency Mr Khalifa Abdullah Al Ajeel Al Askar, Minister of Commerce and Industry of the State of Kuwait.
During the discussions, the participants reviewed the status of the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between the GCC member states and the UK, assessing the current trajectory of negotiations. Both parties underscored the critical importance of advancing toward the final signing of the agreement and reiterated their commitment to surmounting any remaining obstacles.
Furthermore, the meeting addressed avenues for bolstering bilateral economic and commercial ties, identifying collaborative opportunities across various vital sectors. These efforts aim to solidify the strategic partnership, serve mutual interests, and enhance trade and investment prospects amidst the evolving global economic landscape.
His Excellency the GCC Secretary General reaffirmed that these joint engagements are pivotal in aligning perspectives and fostering robust economic dialogue, thereby expanding the scope of cooperation between the GCC and its international partners.
He further lauded the flourishing relations shared between the GCC member states and the UK.