H.E. Zayed R. Alzayani, Minister of Industry, Commerce and Tourism of the Kingdom of Bahrain announced today the official launch of the FTA negotiations between the six countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf (GCC) and the United Kingdom. In a phone call that took place earlier today between H.E. Minister Alzayani and The Right Honorable Anne-Marie Trevelyan, Secretary of State for International Trade and President of the Board of Trade, joined by The Right Honorable Ranil Jayawardena Minister of International Trade, as well as H.E. Dr. Nayef bin Falah Alhajraf, Secretary General of GCC, and HE Mr Abdulraham Ahmed Alharbi, Governor of Saudi General Auhtority for Foriegn Trade and General Coordinator for Negotiations at the GCC General Secretariate &and Head of GCC Negotiations Team, and H.E. Sh. Hamad bin Salman Alkhalifa, Assistant Under Secretary for Domestic and Foreign trade at the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Tourism in the Kingdom of Bahrain.
It is worth noting at this juncture that an FTA between the GCC countries and the UK would add a new chapter to what is already a long standing and strategic partnership, evidenced by annual trade of £30 billion in goods, as well as an additional £19 billion of services. Making it one of the largest trading relationship for both parties.
H.E. Minister Alzayani commented “It brings me great joy and pleasure to officially announce the official launch of FTA negotiations between GCC countries and UK today, an initiative that we have worked tirelessly on realizing since The Kingdom of Bahrain assumption of the GCC presidency at the beginning of this year. It is no doubt that we shall collectively embark on a new chapter, which will solidify our long standing trade and investment cooperation and build upon the strong foundations forged over the past centuries.
At this juncture, I feel obliged to present my thanks and gratitude to H.M. King Hamad bin Isa Alkhalifa, The King of the Kingdom of Bahrain, and HRH. Prince Salman bin Hamad Alkhalifa, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Bahrain for their continued guidance and support towards this significant economic initiate, for without which we wouldn't have been able to reach what we have reached today. I also wish to thank my GCC counterparts and the Government of the United Kingdom led by The Right Honorable Prime Minster Boris Johnson, and H.E. Minister Trevelyan and H.E. Minister Jayawardena and their teams for their continuous and invaluable cooperation.
Moreover, I wish to thank the GCC Secretariat led by Secretary General H.E. Dr. Alhajraf, and all GCC member states working teams on their genuine efforts and congratulate them on this remarkable milestone. Finally, I wish H.E. Dr. Alharbi and his negotiating team a fruitful and successful negations".
