GCC finance ministers meet IMF chief today

Housing ministers committee kicks off

The Arab Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Finance Ministers and Governors of Central Banks will hold their annual meeting with the Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) Christine Lagarde today. The meeting will tackle regional and international economic issues, the GCC General Secretariat said in a statement yesterday.

Separately, the 15th GCC Housing Ministers committee kicked off yesterday with a participation from Kuwait Housing Minister Yasser Abul. In his speech at the meeting, Saudi Housing Minister Majed Al-Hogail stressed the importance of collaboration among the GCC states to overcome the impact of global economic crisis on Housing projects in the Gulf region. He added that this collaboration should be in the form of holding workshops and exchanging expertise to come up with a unified vision to help in the sector’s development.

Speaking the meeting, the Kuwaiti minister said that he gave the conferees a briefing on Kuwait’s unique housing experience of setting up an apartmentowners’ union for those who has been given government housing units. He expressed belief that such a move would surely protect both the landlord and the government.

The meeting announced the launch of GCC housing award for 2017 under the slogan “better housing with better resources.” Yesterday’s meeting discussed proposals on the goals of sustainable development 2020-2030 and the strategic plan for GCC joint cooperation in the field of housing. — KUNA