June 09, 2021 There is an urgent need to encourage more trade between GCC countries, which constitute a market of over 58 million people with a combined GDP totaling some $1.590 trillion in 2019, he added while highlighting the private sector’s key role in increasing GCC trade. DUBAI — Secretary-General of Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Nayef Al-Hajraf stated that the start of the recovery period from the economic effects of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, as well as the significant global economic growth, the lifting of related restrictions and lockdowns, the resumption of commercial activities and the surge in spending in many countries, require significant efforts by the public and private sectors in GCC countries if they wished to preserve the economic gains achieved before the pandemic and ensure their continued growth.