Gulf Cooperation Council Sec-Gen - Georgia, Gulf states have deepened ties

Jasem Mohamed AlBudaiwi, the Secretary General of the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf, on Thursday told a panel discussion within the Tbilisi Silk Road Forum that ties between Georgia and Gulf states had been “deepened”.

AlBudaiwi highlighted the importance of the Forum and noted the Silk Road was significant for the six countries of the Persian Gulf and played a “significant role” in relations between states.

“[I]n 2017 we signed an action plan between the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf and Georgia, as a result of which relations were deepened and a free trade agreement was signed. We are working on new schemes, new plans to further deepen trade relations at the regional and international level”, he said.

The panel discussion also featured Genadi Arveladze, Georgia’s Deputy Economy Minister, Tomislav Momirović, the Minister of Internal and Foreign Trade of Serbia, as well as Erin Elizabeth McKee, the United States Agency for International Development Assistant Administrator for Europe and Eurasia, Lazăr Comănescu, the Secretary General of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation Organisation, and Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, the Minister of State for Foreign Trade, Minister in Charge of Talent Attraction and Retention of the United Arab Emirates.

The Speakers covered issues of international trade and “main aspects” of cooperation, and emphasised the Forum’s significance as an “important platform” for discussing the issues in a global setting.