Riyadh – The Gulf private sector is looking to have a greater role, along with the public sector, in partnerships with Britain, through a Gulf-British Conference on Partnership between the Public and Private Sectors, which will be held in London on Wednesday.
In remarks to Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper, Abdulaziz bin Hamad Al Owaisheq, Assistant Secretary-General of the GCC for Political and Negotiations Affairs, said that the conference would focus on implementing the joint action plan, which was approved by both sides in December 2016.
The action plan aims at increasing available investment opportunities between the GCC and the UK, encouraging investment partnerships and promoting relations between the business world and the private sector in both sides, accroding to Owaisheq.
The GCC assistant secretary-general noted that the conference would also showcase laws and legislation, which are aimed to increase opportunities for foreign investment in the infrastructure, health, telecommunications, energy, information technology sectors, as part of the GCC’s efforts to strengthen their economies and diversify resources.
Representatives from the Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Finance, Economy, Planning, Trade, Industry, Communications, Information Technology, Health, Education, Investment and other relevant government sectors, as well as private sector representatives from GCC chambers of commerce and industry, will participate in the conference, according to the GCC official.
Meanwhile, Abdul Rahim Hassan Al-Naqi, Secretary General of the Federation of Chambers of GCC, described the relations between the UK and Gulf countries as very good, and underlined the major opportunities for the Gulf private sector in the new partnership initiatives with the region.
He added that strategic partnerships would focus on the infrastructure, including railways, electricity and energy, as well as technology, science and education.
Al-Naqi said the UK is asked to give a greater role to the Gulf private sector within these partnerships.