Malaysia-GCC Free Trade Agreement Talks Set to Begin May 27

By Asir Fatagar · May 26, 2025 · 1 min read

Negotiations for a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between Malaysia and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries—Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Oman—are slated to start on May 27, 2025, on the sidelines of the ASEAN-GCC Summit in Kuala Lumpur. A GCC diplomat noted the FTA remains under discussion. As ASEAN Chair for 2025, Malaysia will host the 46th ASEAN Summit, alongside the second ASEAN-GCC Summit and the inaugural ASEAN-GCC-China Summit, fostering regional and inter-regional cooperation under the theme “Inclusivity and Sustainability.”