GCC Secretary General Jassim Al-Budaiwi affirmed Monday that the relation with Brazil are historical, deep-rooted and are based on the foundations of mutual trust and fruitful cooperation. Al-Budaiwi said in his speech during the joint ministerial meeting of the GCC-Brazil Strategic Dialogue that wide-ranging economic relations are the most prominent pillars that contribute to enhancing growth and mutual benefits, especially in goods and products. He added that trade volume in goods between the GCC and Brazil amounted to USD 21.9 billion in 2022, representing 1.4 percent of the total volume of GCC external trade. Al-Budaiwi noted that the strategic dialogue between the GCC and Brazil represent a qualitative shift in relations between them. Therefore, a memorandum of understanding was prepared regarding holding consultations on issues of common interest and working on a draft action plan for the period (2024-2028). For his part, Brazilian Minister of Foreign Affairs Mauro Vieira stressed the importance of dialogue to enhance strategic relations between the two sides, indicating that this dialogue would contribute to opening new horizons for cooperation with the GCC. He added, "We have partnerships with the GCC, but we want to strengthen them," expressing his hope to enhance economic cooperation, especially in trade. Regarding the situation in Gaza, the Brazilian top diplomat regarded it "unbearable," stressing the need for the international community to move to protect the lives of civilians. Foreign Minister Abdullah Al-Yahya headed Kuwait's delegation to the meeting. Source: Kuwait News Agency