Manama: Abdulla bin Adel Fakhro, Minister of Industry and Commerce, chaired a significant meeting between the Ministers of Commerce of Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) member states and Chris Bryant, UK Minister for Trade. The meeting was held via videoconference on the sidelines of the Industrial and Commercial Cooperation Committee meetings of the GCC, chaired by the Kingdom of Bahrain. Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi, the Secretary-General of the GCC, was also in attendance.
According to Bahrain News Agency, in his remarks, Abdulla bin Adel Fakhro emphasized the deep and well-established relations between the GCC countries and the United Kingdom, highlighting mutual trust, shared interests, and a unified vision for achieving stability and prosperity. He underscored the importance of continuing to strengthen cooperation between the GCC and the United Kingdom, particularly given the economic and trade challenges at both regional and international levels. These challenges have been exacerbated by hostile Iranian attacks targeting the Gulf states, which Fakhro described as a flagrant violation of international laws and norms, posing a direct threat to regional stability and economic security. He added that these attacks impact the stability of international trade and global supply chains.
The minister further noted that accelerating the completion of the anticipated free trade agreement (FTA) between the GCC and the United Kingdom represents a shared strategic priority. Fakhro explained that the agreement is expected to be a key milestone in opening new economic opportunities, enhancing market access, and supporting sustainable growth for both sides. It aims to boost investment flows and strengthen cooperation in critical sectors such as advanced manufacturing, the digital economy, clean energy, and services. The meeting also reviewed the latest developments regarding the GCC-UK Free Trade Agreement.