Sultan Al Jaber and Thani Al Zeyoudi with senior officials at the meet.

Gulf Today Report

Dr. Sultan Al Jaber, UAE Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology, led a high-level UAE delegation at a series of meetings attended by GCC ministers of industry and trade. The GCC Industrial Cooperation Committee and GCC Ministerial Committee for Standardization meetings took place in Muscat with the aim of strengthening industrial ties within the GCC and supporting regional sustainable economic development.

The UAE’s delegation included Dr. Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, UAE Minister of State for Foreign Trade, Mohammed Bin Nakhira Al Dhaheri, UAE Ambassador to the Sultanate of Oman, Omar Suwaina Al Suwaidi, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology, and Abdulla Alsaleh, Undersecretary for the Ministry of Economy, as well as representatives from government and private sector entities.

Oman, which is currently president of the GCC Council, chaired meetings for the GCC ministers of trade and industry on Thursday, as well as preparatory sessions on Wednesday involving the undersecretaries of trade and industry to discuss the agenda, latest developments, key topics and reports.

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The 50th meeting of the Industrial Cooperation Committee, and the fifth meeting of the Ministerial Committee for Standardization addressed a number of topics relating to enhancing cooperation in industry, standards and metrology, and plans to boost collaboration among member states.

‘GCC industrial ties deepening’

Al Jaber underlined the UAE’s commitment to strengthening strategic relations, particularly relating to investment opportunities and cooperation in industry: “These meetings reaffirm the deep relations between GCC countries, especially in the industrial sector, which plays an important role in sustainable economic growth within the Gulf. The GCC represents a model for multinational cooperation that achieves effective sustainable economic development.”

He said: “The Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology’s is working to consolidate efforts and formulate an integrated investment roadmap to promote the implementation of advanced technologies in line with efforts to drive sustainable industrial development.”

“We are committed to driving sustainability in the industrial sector, increasing the competitiveness of Emirati products and enhancing their quality, while promoting the UAE as an attractive regional and international hub for industrial investments, including from within the Gulf region, by providing benefits, enablers, incentives and financial solutions to investors.”

He continued: “As the UAE prepares to host COP28, we stress the importance of fraternal cooperation to bolster climate action. It is critical that countries in the Gulf work together to increase investments in the energy transition and in decarbonization. These investments will lay the groundwork for more sustainable economic development in vital economic sectors, including industry.”

He added: “The UAE has created a pioneering model for strengthening economic and developmental partnerships, as well as engaging the private sector in sustainable growth.”

Industrial cooperation

Al Jaber participated in the Industrial Cooperation Committee Meeting alongside His Excellency Al-Zeyoudi, where a report on the previous meeting of the committee was discussed. The meeting also followed up on achievements and the directives of the Ministerial Council to address challenges to economic integration.

The ministers also reviewed the Amended Controls on Exempting Industry Inputs from Taxes and Customs Duties, and the recommendations of the Standing Committee for Combating Harmful Practices on the Economic Cooperation Committee’s suggestions regarding furthering its role in protecting Gulf industries from unfair competition. The meeting also presented reports on the activities of the Technical Secretariat to Combat Harmful Practices in International Trade and achievements of the Gulf Organization for Industrial Consulting (GOIC).

Standardization and conformity

Al Jaber also participated in the fifth meeting of the GCC Ministerial Committee for Standardization, which detailed the committee’s progress from October 2022 to April 2023. Under Specifications and Metrology, the committee proposed the endorsement of 10 projects as Gulf technical regulations and the adoption of sector-based regulations under conformity, in addition to the committee’s proposal to use the Conformity Markings system as an alternative to the Gulf Conformity Mark to the Council.

The ministers discussed a set of memorandums by the GCC Ministerial Committee for Standardization on the conclusive account for 2022, the Gulf Accreditation Center, the presidency for the period from April 2024 to April 2027, the establishment of a Cooperation Council Award for Quality, as well as emerging trends.

The GCC Ministerial Committee for Standardization includes Abdullah Bin Adel Fakhro, Bahrain’s Minister of Industry And Commerce, Dr. Majid Bin Abdullah Al-Qassabi, Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Commerce, Qais Bin Muhammad Al Yousef, Oman’s Minister of Commerce Industry and Investment Promotion, Sheikh Mohammed Bin Hamad Al-Thani, Qatar’s Minister of Commerce and Industry, Mohammad Bin Othman Al-Aiban, Kuwaiti Minister of Commerce and Industry, and Jassim Muhammad Al-Budaiwi, Secretary-General of The Gulf Cooperation Council.

Bilateral meetings

Al Jabermet with Jassim Muhammad Al-Budaiwi, Secretary-General of The Gulf Cooperation Council. Al Jaber also met with Al Yousef to explore pathways to enhance cooperation between the two countries.