Riyadh, July 18, 2022, SPA -- Secretary General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Dr. Nayef Falah M. Al Hajraf stressed the importance of strengthening cooperation between the council and the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), to serve common interests. The Secretary General’s statement came today during his virtual meeting with Secretary General of the COMESA Chileshe Kapwepwe. During the meeting, several topics were discussed, such as the importance of developing cooperation between the GCC and the COMESA in the economic, trade and development fields. This cooperation aims to open African markets for GCC exports, increase investment rates and exchange views on economic developments, in addition to discussing the developments of a Memorandum of Understanding previously signed between both sides in 2010, which focused on economic cooperation. --SPA 15:46 LOCAL TIME 12:46 GMT 0009 www.spa.gov.sa/w1762495