the Prime Minister’s Easter 2024 message
 
March message from Canterbury-Bankstown Mayor Bilal El-Hayek
 
A solemn funeral to the late Nazih Nicolas in Sydney
 
One Year of Repair, Reform and Action, and much more to do.
 
Kuwait deplores Israeli occupation's seizure of Palestinian land
 
Patriarch Duwaihi's beatification ceremony to be held in Lebanon
 
One Year of Repair, Reform and Action, and much more to do across Canterbury
 
Have your say on a planning proposal in Carlingford
 
Protecting religious institutions
 
AFIC President, stated that AFIC strongly condemns any act of violence and terrorism and stands in solidarity with the Russian people
 
The community’s hopes and expectations of a Muslim public figure
 
Mr Keating has been a public critic of the AUKUS security pact,...”.
 
GCC moving steadily towards greater integration - report





The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC)

GCC moving steadily towards greater integration - report

03/12/2016     

RIYADH-- Since its inception, the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) has been forging ahead with solid steps towards achieving more progress, welfare and integration among member states and strengthening strategic relations with world countries as well as regional and international blocs.

In a lengthy report released few days ahead of the 37th GCC Summit in Bahrain, the GCC General Secretariat cheered the remarkable achievements of the six-member Gulf bloc in the past years.

The report cited examples of the achievements and success stories reached in various domains.

It noted that the bloc is moving steadily towards meeting the aspirations of Gulf nationals of greater integration among the member states.

In its report, the General Secretariat stated that several framework and technical cooperation agreements have been hammered out and strategic partnerships have been reached with various commercial partners.

The Gulf bloc has also launched negotiations for free trade agreement with other countries and regional and international blocs.

In the Arab region, the GCC inked agreements to buttress economic and commercial relations with Morocco, Jordan and Yemen.

On strategic relations with the United States, the report recalled the latest GCC summit in Riyadh's recommendation to build a more robust strategic relations and broad cooperation in various domains with the United States.

The report also highlighted the deeply-rooted relations with the European Union, the United Kingdom, France, Australia, Russia, and Turkey.

On the military and security domains, the GCC report noted that the member states have taken further steps to bolster mutual coordination, organizational and executive cooperation.

Moreover, a timetable was set for materializing Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz's vision to build a comprehensive and integrated Gulf defense system.

The report also cited the success of the First Arabian Gulf Security Exercise which was held in Bahrain recently as an example of the development in this domain.

It also detailed the achievements in planning and development departments as well as the economic, financial and judiciary cooperation among member states.

On the banking sector, the report noted that the GCC has adopted the new work mechanism and approaches of the GCC banking system's monitoring and oversight committee.

It also pointed to the endorsement of the GCC unified anti-illicit trade law.

It added that the Gulf states are embarking on a unified law for enhancing competitiveness.

Furthermore, the GCC leaders have agreed on extending the customs duties exemption of input of national industries to help national industries grow and develop as well as make GCC products more competitive with similar products from other countries.

On the water and electricity cooperation, the report said a unified strategy to achieve self-sufficiency has been ratified by senior officials and referred to the ministerial council for deliberations and approval shortly.

The report also highlighted achievements in several other domains such as telecommunications and postal services, transportation, sports, education, health, development, media, and humanitarian action.


 














Copyright 2007 mideast-times.com