GCC Secretary General: Economic Integration with ASEAN a Strategic Pillar to Boost Investment and Shared Growth

The Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), Jassem Al-Budawi, affirmed on Monday that economic integration between the Council and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) represents a strategic pillar for enhancing investment flows and building partnerships that support shared growth and prosperity between the two sides.

In a statement, the GCC Secretariat General noted that this came during Al-Budawi’s participation in a dialogue session organized by ASEAN on regional integration and its linkage to investment, held in the Qatari capital, Doha, as part of the ninth session of the World Investment Forum (WIF 2026).

Al-Budawi added that the global economy is undergoing profound and rapid transformations driven by geopolitical uncertainty, the reshaping of supply chains, and changing patterns of international investment. These factors underscore the importance of regional integration as a strategic choice that extends beyond market expansion to building more resilient, competitive economies capable of attracting investments and addressing global challenges.

He clarified that economic integration has been one of the fundamental pillars of the development journey of GCC member states. Thanks to the wise visions and sound guidance of Their Majesties and Highnesses, the Heads of State of the member countries, the GCC states have made significant progress in the paths of the customs union and the Common Market, enhancing economic interconnectivity and solidifying the region’s position as a global hub for trade, investment, energy, and logistics.

Al-Budawi pointed out that the economies of GCC member states now represent a significant economic force internationally, with a combined gross domestic product (GDP) of approximately $2.4 trillion and a merchandise trade volume nearing $1.8 trillion. These indicators reflect the strength of the Gulf economic base and the promising investment potentials and opportunities possessed by Gulf countries.

In this regard, he emphasized that the experiences of both the GCC and ASEAN offer an important model of how regional cooperation can enhance economic competitiveness and open new horizons for investment. He noted that integration between the two sides is based on complementary economic advantages, combining the GCC’s investment capabilities, energy sector resources, and advanced infrastructure with ASEAN’s industrial networks, vibrant markets, and interconnected production chains.

He recalled that the GCC-ASEAN summits held in Riyadh in 2023 and in Kuala Lumpur in 2025 laid an important foundation for elevating relations between the two sides. He stressed that the next phase requires moving from agreements and shared visions to expanding investment flows, strengthening supply chain integration, and establishing productive partnerships that generate added economic value for both parties.

On another note, Al-Budawi stressed the importance of advancing practical cooperation tracks between the GCC and ASEAN in areas such as advanced manufacturing, digital transformation, clean energy, logistics, and investment facilitation. He also highlighted the need to continue discussions on the possibility of concluding a free trade agreement between the two sides, which would help remove barriers to trade and investment and open broader avenues for the private sector to capitalize on available economic opportunities.

The Secretary-General concluded his participation by emphasizing that the shared ambition of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and ASEAN should transcend the boundaries of traditional cooperation, moving toward the construction of a more interconnected and integrated economic space. In this space, the gains of regional integration would be transformed into cross-regional investments, mutual economic advantages into sustainable productive partnerships, and political commitments into tangible economic opportunities whose impacts would be reflected in the growth of the economies and the prosperity of the peoples in both regions.

It is worth noting that the proceedings of the ninth edition of the World Investment Forum, which launched yesterday Sunday in the Qatari capital, Doha, and will continue until tomorrow, are held under the theme “Investing in the Future.”