DOHA: The GCC Ministers of Commerce and heads of Chambers of Commerce Council held a joint consultative meeting yesterday in Riyadh.
In the meeting they discussed issues related to strengthening the role of the private sector in the process of economic development in the GCC countries, including boosting partnership between the public and private sectors, and activating the role of the private sector in economic affairs.
The meeting was chaired by Minister of Economy and Commerce H E Sheikh Ahmed bin Jassim Al Thani, who is also the Chairman of the current session of the Trade Cooperation Committee of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC).
The meeting was also attended by GCC Secretary General, Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani. The meeting also reviewed development of Gulf industrialists conferences, and the obstacles and difficulties faced by the private sector and ways to overcome them.
It called for adoption of appropriate mechanisms to organise joint meetings between representatives of the private sector and trade and industry ministers of the GCC.
Sheikh Ahmed bin Jassim stressed that the current stage is the third step for the Gulf economic integration including the GCC common market, which provides economic, commercial and investment gains to Gulf citizens.
He stressed that the GCC private sector should have an instrumental role in achieving a qualitative leap in joint economic action between the GCC States in order to move towards economic integration and sustainable development.
The Minister noted that the leaders of the GCC countries had directed their unlimited support for GCC private sector, and that the committee on trade cooperation has taken many of the
recommendations and decisions that are in the Gulf private sector interest.
Dr Al Zayani said the meeting comes within the framework of the attention and interest of the leaders of the GCC countries in strengthening the role of the private sector in the process of sustainable development and economic growth with a view to expanding the areas of economic integration among the GCC countries.
The agenda of the 52nd meeting of the heads of Chambers of Commerce Council included establishment of a unified office for registering trademarks, opening branches of institutions in all the GCC countries, initiation of coordination on insurance laws, making commercial regulatory guidelines mandatory, discussing recommendations of World Trade Organisation committee and initiative on innovations of entrepreneurs and SMEs.
The Peninsula
