The Gulf economy is expanding faster than the global average, while the GCC market has grown by nearly 25 per cent in four years, according to Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council Jasem Albudaiwi.
Speaking at the 11th meeting of the Committee of Labour Ministers of the GCC countries, held in Kuwait City, Albudaiwi said the growth was driven by the ambitious development visions adopted by GCC states.
The session was chaired by Kuwaiti Minister of Social Affairs and Family and Childhood Affairs Dr. Amthal Hadi Haif Al Huwailah, President of the current session, with ministers of labour from all six member states in attendance.
GCC workforce
At the beginning of his remarks, the secretary-general thanked Amir of Kuwait Sheikh Mishal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah for hosting the meeting and for Kuwait’s ongoing support for joint Gulf cooperation.
Albudaiwi highlighted positive economic indicators for the region, noting that the International Monetary Fund (IMF) projects GCC economies to grow by 4.1 per cent in 2026, above the global average.
He said: “This is driven by growth in the non-oil sectors, which have become the main engine of development thanks to ambitious visions and development projects”.
The secretary-general underlined the region’s strong labour market performance, with the number of workers across GCC countries rising from 27.9m in 2020 to 34.9m in 2024, an increase of 24.8 per cent.
“This reflects the success of policies aimed at reducing unemployment rates and expanding the role of the private sector, in addition to developing skills and increasing investment in the region,” Albudaiwi noted.
He added that Gulf societies, with their vitality and youthful energy, represent a vital source of creativity and innovation. “Participation rates in the Gulf labour market have surpassed the global average. This requires the development of labour policies capable of absorbing these energies and employing them in the best possible way,” he said.
Albudaiwi also praised advances in gender balance across the GCC. Female citizens accounted for 40.2 per cent of the total national workforce in Q2 2024, up from 36.4 per cent in 2019.
He described this progress as a clear outcome of policies designed to support women in the workplace and foster gender equality.
