The UAE has stressed its commitment to strengthening strategic relations with Gulf countries, particularly relating to investment opportunities and cooperation in industry. 

 

Leading a high-level UAE delegation to the GCC Industrial Cooperation Committee and GCC Ministerial Committee for Standardisation meetings in Muscat, Dr Sultan Al Jaber, UAE Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology, said: “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.”

 

Driving sustainability

“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 decarbonisation. 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.”

 

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.

 

Key topics

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

 

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

 

Industrial cooperation

Dr Al Jaber participated in the Industrial Cooperation Committee Meeting alongside 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 Organisation for Industrial Consulting (GOIC).

 

Standardisation and conformity

Dr Al Jaber also participated in the fifth meeting of the GCC Ministerial Committee for Standardisation, 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 Standardisation on the conclusive account for 2022, the Gulf Accreditation Centre, 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 Standardisation 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.-- TradeArabia News Service