Riyadh, Oct. 31, 2021, SPA -- Minister of Commerce Dr. Majid bin Abdullah Al-Qasabi, who is also Chairman of the Board of Directors of the General Authority for Foreign Trade, chaired today the works of the preparatory meeting of commerce ministers of the Arab countries for the twelfth ministerial meeting of the World Trade Organization scheduled for Geneva from November 30 to December 3, 2021, with the participation of Governor of the General Authority Foreign Trade Abdulrahman bin Ahmed Al-Harbi. In a key speech, Dr Al-Qasabi welcomed the participants at the virtual meeting, organized by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the coordinator of the Arab group in the World Trade Organization, which is designed to coordinate the positions of the Arab group on general issues and issues of common interest within the framework of the WTO. He stressed the importance of highlighting the vital and active role that the Arab group plays in the international and economic organizations, especially in the World Trade Organization, expressing the interests and priorities of the Arab countries in these difficult circumstances and economic and trade challenges, and mitigating the effects and repercussions of coronavirus pandemic on the economies of countries. "A joint ministerial statement was issued containing consensual and common visions of the Arab countries on various public and negotiating issues within the framework of the World Trade Organization", Dr. Al-Qasabi said. --SPA 18:31 LOCAL TIME 15:31 GMT 0028 www.spa.gov.sa/w1644081