Abdulaziz Al-Marzouq: Necessity of Transitioning Gulf Free Trade with the UK to the Implementation Stage

State Minister for Economic Affairs and Investment and Acting Minister of Commerce and Industry, Abdulaziz Al-Merzouq, emphasized the necessity of moving the free trade agreement between the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and the United Kingdom from the dialogue phase to implementation. During his speech at the “Gulf-British Strategic Dialogue” conference, Al-Merzouq stated that making decisions at this critical juncture is “of paramount importance,” as it is the means to transform opportunities into projects, partnerships, and tangible, measurable economic value.

He noted that the preparation of the free trade agreement between the UK and the GCC states was conducted with precision, and its completion would provide companies on both sides with clarity and market access, thereby facilitating the advancement of their investment plans. Al-Merzouq further argued that the next phase of Gulf-British relations should be grounded in the history of their strong ties and contribute to building a deeper partnership in trade, investment, technology, infrastructure, financial services, and advanced industries, alongside areas of shared priority.

He also pointed out that the global investment landscape is undergoing rapid changes, as investors no longer look solely at market size but also seek stability, policy clarity, connectivity, innovation, and long-term opportunities. Al-Merzouq explained that economic diversification in the GCC countries continues to open new horizons for international partnerships. Kuwait, in particular, is focusing on attracting high-quality investments that contribute to sustainable growth, support innovation, create high-value jobs, and enhance the role of the private sector.

For his part, UK Minister of State for Trade Policy, Anas Sarwar, called for the immediate implementation of the free trade agreement without waiting for the completion of formal ratification procedures. In a similar address at the conference, he expressed his desire for the coming period to witness an intensification of concrete projects and the establishment of new partnerships that translate political declarations of ambition into tangible achievements. Sarwar highlighted several areas offering “promising” opportunities for cooperation, such as the aviation sector, which is experiencing massive expansion in the Gulf region, as well as financial and legal services.

In this regard, he indicated his interest in exploring the idea of enhancing Gulf-UK partnership through joint investment in third countries, rather than limiting efforts to bilateral investment opportunities, considering this area could represent a “very significant” opportunity to strengthen cooperation between the two sides.

Participants at the conference discussed several key aspects of economic relations and their development between the GCC states and the UK, with a focus on trade, investment, financial services, capital market investments, and digital economies.