Cairo: The UAE chaired the 48th session of the Steering and Follow-up Committee for the Economic and Social Council, which began today at the Arab League headquarters, with the participation of representatives of Arab ministries of economy.

Mohammed Saleh Shelwah, Advisor to the Minister of Economy, led the UAE delegation that participated in the meeting, which included Ahmed Bin Suleiman, Representative of the Administration of Cooperation and International Organisations at the Ministry of Economy.

During the three-day meeting, the committee will discuss several key issues, such as how to monitor the implementation of the Greater Arab Free Trade Area, GAFTA, and related obstacles.

Committee members will also discuss the GAFTA periodic report, the request of Lebanon to implement measures to protect certain national products and the UAE’s suggestions related to the Rules of Origin Committee.

They will also review the Arab Accreditation Authority, ARAC, and ways of monitoring the work of various GAFTA committees. They will also hold discussions over a team of specialists in anti-dumping and countervailing and preventive measures, a group of experts on competition and monopolies in the Arab countries, the Arab Group for Consumer Protection, and an Arab team responsible for food safety and trade facilitation.