Manama to host 7th EU-GCC Business Forum

TDT | Manama                                                  

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com

Businesses and government leaders from the European Union and the Gulf Cooperation Council will convene at the 7th EU-GCC Business Forum - a pivotal event set to redefine economic collaboration in the post-pandemic era.

Scheduled for Tuesday in Manama, this forum presents an opportunity for policymakers, industry leaders, entrepreneurs, and visionaries to explore how to further develop business opportunities between the EU and the GCC.

With the theme “Redefining Economies - Building a Sustainable and Diversified Future,” the forum focuses on collaboration and innovation as key drivers of economic growth, social prosperity, and environmental responsibility.

Michael Hager, Head of Cabinet of the European Commission Executive Vice-President Dombrovskis, also responsible for trade, said ahead of the forum: “Total trade in goods between the two regions grew more than 54% from 2021 to 2022 and reached 175 billion EUR, which shows the importance of the trade relationship between the EU and the GCC.

I look forward to opening this year’s edition of our joint Business Forum, a great opportunity to collaborate further for a sustainable future.

The EU is fully committed to working alongside the GCC to meet our shared goals and build a resilient economy.”

Special Representative of the European Union for the Gulf region, Luigi di Maio, expressed his joy to be able to attend the forum: “I am impressed by the scale of joint business opportunities against the background of the different national transformative visions and the recently agreed India-Middle East Economic Corridor (IMEC).”

Key topics at the forum will include sustainable energy mix and energy security, circular economy, green logistics and transport, and economic empowerment of women.

The event aims to increase trade and investment opportunities, foster access to new markets, share knowledge and best practices, expand the green economy, and encourage SMEs and entrepreneurship