Riyadh, August 29, 2023, Jassem Mohamed Albudaiwi, the Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), attended the beginning of the 4th panel discussion, titled "The Future of Investment Opportunities in the GCC States and Their Role in Promoting Economic Integration", which will take place from August 29–31, 2023, to envision future prospects for joint GCC economic and development integration. The Office of the Economic and Development Affairs Authority of the General Secretariat of the GCC is hosting this panel discussion as a part of the Future Foresight Program for the year 2023. The GCC Secretary-General emphasized in his opening remarks that the GCC is a powerful economic institution with a respectable regional and worldwide reputation. He recognized the important role played by the GCC's dynamic and investment-friendly regulatory environment, which draws attention from around the world and encourages successful commercial connections. He also applauded the successes of the Future Vision Programme for GCC Economic and Developmental Integration, noting that it supports the member states of the Council's joint initiatives. It is noteworthy that 85 participants from 32 organizations, including ministries, institutions, governmental agencies, research centers, universities, private sector organizations, and chambers of commerce within the GCC, actively participated in the session. The participating entities' presentations of 18 specialized working papers on future envisioning were thoroughly reviewed and discussed during the panel session. Experts from a wide range of participating organizations participated in the 4th edition of the panel sessions and presented outstanding working papers on strengthening investment in collaborative GCC projects and diversifying investments in emerging industries like finance, technology, artificial intelligence, startups, and the logistics sector. The sessions also covered a thorough analysis of ground-breaking practices from GCC nations in promoting domestic investment, luring FDI, creating incentive systems and legislation for the investment environment, and the function of investment in enhancing local content.
