Secretary General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Jassem Al-Budaiwi said Monday that the second ministerial meeting of the strategic dialogue between GCC and Central Asia countries aims to strengthen the foundation of cooperation between the two sides.

This came during his speech at the meeting, held in the Uzbekistan capital Tashkent, with the participation of the Cooperation Council and the Central Asian countries foreign ministers.

In his speech, Al-Budaiwi noted the multiple reasons for the importance of this meeting, as he stated that there are two main reasons that distinguish this joint ministerial meeting and make it among the most important and accurate meetings. The first reason is that it is the first of its kind, following the historic summit hosted by Saudi Arabia in July 2023, which brought together the leaders of the GCC countries and the leaders of the Central Asian countries to establish the frameworks for future cooperation between both sides.

He added that the second reason is the
unprecedented developments and state of uncertainty in many political, economic, security, and even social matters and issues that the international community is facing, which require intensifying communication and coordination in an effort to resolve these issues.

Al-Budaiwi explained that the joint cooperation action plan for the period 2023-2027 was approved during the meeting, which includes strengthening cooperation in various fields, such as political and security dialogue, economic, trade, and investment cooperation, as well as cooperation in the fields of education, health, culture, media, youth, and sports.

He also highlighted the direction of the GCC partnership with the countries of Central Asia, which includes ensuring joint success, establishing effective partnerships, enhancing exchange and communication between peoples, opening markets and elevating economic activities, working to save energy and its flow, and striving towards strengthening the digital economy.

Source: Kuwait News Agency