GCC officials hold meeting to discuss GCC-African relations prospects Riyadh, Safar 08, 1438 AH, November 08, 2016, SPA -- A host of GCC senior officials in charge of promoting GCC ties with the African continent held a meeting at the headquarters of the group in Riyadh today to orchestrate the current relations between the GCC and African countries, organizations and groups. The meeting reviewed the overall relations between the GCC and the African side and probed ways of drawing a frame for joint cooperation between the GCC and those countries and organizations as part of the strategic dialogue the GCC is conducting with regional countries and blocs, it was reported following the meeting. In remarks to SPA after the meeting, Dr. Abdulaziz bin Hamad Al-Owaisheq, Assistant Secretary General for Political Affairs and Negotiations, said the meeting was held in implementation of the GCC foreign ministers resolution taken on 18 September 2016 and to pave the way for a GCC participation in the forthcoming 4th Arab-African summit scheduled for the Equatorial Guinea capital of Malabo on 23 November, underscoring the importance the GCC is attaching to developing and enhancing its political, security, economic and cultural ties with countries and effective organizations in Africa. --SPA 21:59 LOCAL TIME 18:59 GMT www.spa.gov.sa/w265814