GCC Secretary-General Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi met with Executive Director and Representative of the Arab Group at the International Monetary Fund and Member of the Executive Board Dr. Mohamed Ahmed Maait on Tuesday in the Thai capital, Bangkok.
The meeting was held on the sidelines of the secretary-general’s participation in the 2026 Annual Meetings of the IMF and the World Bank Group, according to SPA.
During the meeting, a number of topics of common interest were discussed, most notably all areas of economic cooperation between the GCC and the World Bank Group in relation to Arab countries, in a manner that serves common interests.
What does it mean for the GCC and the World Bank Group to align their economic cooperation specifically around Arab countries?
The two sides also reviewed the economic and financial challenges and impacts resulting from the current situation in the region, in addition to discussing a number of proposals, including a mechanism for training and holding joint workshops, which would contribute to strengthening relations between the GCC states and the IMF.
How might a training mechanism and joint workshops change the day-to-day relationship between the GCC states and the IMF?
The meeting took place in Bangkok, where the secretary-general is participating in the 2026 Annual Meetings of the IMF and the World Bank Group.
Why do the annual meetings of the IMF and the World Bank Group serve as a useful setting for Gulf-Arab financial coordination?
The discussions covered economic cooperation between the GCC and the World Bank Group in relation to Arab countries, and the economic and financial challenges and impacts resulting from the current situation in the region.
What does the current situation in the region mean for the economic and financial outlook discussed by the two sides?
The proposals discussed included a mechanism for training and holding joint workshops, which the two sides see as contributing to strengthening relations between the GCC states and the IMF.
Could joint workshops become a regular channel for GCC-IMF engagement beyond the annual meetings?
The meeting was held on Tuesday in Bangkok, on the sidelines of the 2026 Annual Meetings of the IMF and the World Bank Group.
The source did not include further details on the specific proposals, the timing of any training mechanism or joint workshops, or the outcomes of the meeting.
Who met in Bangkok and what positions do they hold? Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi met with Executive Director and Representative of the Arab Group at the International Monetary Fund and Member of the Executive Board Dr. Mohamed Ahmed Maait. The meeting took place on Tuesday in the Thai capital, Bangkok. It was held on the sidelines of the secretary-general’s participation in the 2026 Annual Meetings of the IMF and the World Bank Group. The two sides used the occasion to discuss topics of common interest, most notably economic cooperation between the GCC and the World Bank Group in relation to Arab countries.
What economic topics were discussed at the meeting? The two sides discussed a number of topics of common interest, most notably all areas of economic cooperation between the GCC and the World Bank Group in relation to Arab countries, in a manner that serves common interests. They also reviewed the economic and financial challenges and impacts resulting from the current situation in the region. In addition, they discussed a number of proposals, including a mechanism for training and holding joint workshops, which would contribute to strengthening relations between the GCC states and the IMF. The source did not provide further detail on those proposals.
What proposals were put forward regarding training and workshops? The two sides discussed a number of proposals, including a mechanism for training and holding joint workshops. According to the source, this would contribute to strengthening relations between the GCC states and the IMF. The meeting covered economic cooperation between the GCC and the World Bank Group in relation to Arab countries, and reviewed economic and financial challenges and impacts resulting from the current situation in the region. The source did not specify the timing, scope, or participants of any training mechanism or joint workshops.
Where and on what occasion was the meeting held? The meeting was held on Tuesday in the Thai capital, Bangkok. It took place on the sidelines of the secretary-general’s participation in the 2026 Annual Meetings of the IMF and the World Bank Group. Secretary-General Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi met Executive Director and Representative of the Arab Group at the IMF Dr. Mohamed Ahmed Maait. During the meeting, the two sides discussed topics of common interest, most notably economic cooperation between the GCC and the World Bank Group in relation to Arab countries.
What did the source not include about the meeting? The source did not include further details on the specific proposals discussed, the timing of any training mechanism or joint workshops, or the outcomes of the meeting. It also did not provide statements from either official beyond the description of the topics covered. The meeting was held on the sidelines of the 2026 Annual Meetings of the IMF and the World Bank Group in Bangkok, and covered economic cooperation between the GCC and the World Bank Group in relation to Arab countries, along with regional economic and financial challenges and impacts.