Business & Finance Group - Finance - Riyadh: The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) ministers of finance and economy will hold a meeting here on Saturday.

They are scheduled to review a number of topics pertaining to joint economic cooperation, mainly the means of facilitating the movement of trucks across GCC borders.

GCC Secretary General Abdul Rahman Al Attiyah stressed the significance of the meeting. He described it as acquiring special importance due to the important topics on its agenda especially as it would precede the 12th Consultative Meeting of the GCC leaders on May 11 in the Saudi capital Riyadh.

In a press statement here yesterday, he said that the meeting would focus on the recommendations of the Joint Meeting of the GCC Customs and Passport Directors about the steps to be taken by the GCC countries to facilitate movement of trucks across their borders.

Review

The meeting will also review a number of economic issues, including the establishment of a joint development bank and the launching of joint investments in education and health, as well as the establishment of a fund to support financial and economic stability in the GCC countries.

In their meeting, the GCC ministers will discuss the necessary steps to implement the decision of the Supreme Council on the global financial crisis and its impact on the GCC countries.

The other topics to be discussed by the GCC ministers include the progress of negotiations and economic relations with other countries and economic groupings and the studies on the railway project between the GCC countries.