The State of Qatar participated in the joint meeting of the Ministers of Finance and Governors of Central Banks of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, with Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Kristalina Georgieva, held on Thursday in Manama.
In the meeting, Qatar was represented by His Excellency the Minister of of Finance Ali bin Ahmed al-Kuwari and the Governor of the Qatar Central Bank (QCB) His Excellency Sheikh Bandar bin Mohammed bin Saoud al-Thani.
The meeting addressed several financial and economic topics, foremost among them the economic outlook for GCC countries and policy priorities in light of the geopolitical developments and turmoil the region is witnessing, as well as the challenges that GCC economies face.
The meeting also addressed policies to maintain economic and financial stability and strengthen the GCC countries' resilience against the economic repercussions of geopolitical and trade-related disruptions. It also addressed ways to support economic diversification, foster private sector-led growth, and advance structural reforms that create jobs and enhance the competitiveness of Gulf economies.
HE al-Kuwari stressed the importance of continuing to strengthen the resilience of the region's economies and supporting the process of economic diversification, noting that current challenges are considered a motivation to promote cooperation and strive for greater regional integration.
He commended the IMF's efforts to assess the economic repercussions of the current developments and project future outlooks, emphasizing the importance of continued cooperation and dialogue with the fund to support economic and financial stability.
Qatar also participated, led by HE al-Kuwari, in the 126th Meeting of the Financial and Economic Cooperation Committee of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), held in Manama.
The meeting reviewed the outcomes of the meetings of the GCC Central Banks Governors' Committee, the Customs Union Authority, and the Committee of Heads and Directors of Tax Departments, and the Gulf Common Market Committee.
The General Secretariat's report on measures taken amidst the current regional and international economic developments was also discussed, in addition to the mechanism for implementing decisions regarding measures to combat harmful practices in international trade.
The meeting also addressed the progress of free trade agreement negotiations between the GCC states and other countries and international blocs, as well as a follow-up on the latest accomplishments toward achieving comprehensive economic unity among the GCC countries.
