Chancellor Rachel Reeves says the UK is close to securing a trade agreement with six Gulf countries, including Qatar and Saudi Arabia, as part of its post-Brexit drive to expand global trade ties.
The United Kingdom is nearing completion of a major trade agreement with six Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries - Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates - Chancellor Rachel Reeves confirmed in an interview with the BBC on Tuesday.
Describing the pact as London’s “next deal,” Reeves highlighted the UK’s intensified global trade efforts following Brexit. She pointed to the recent signing of trade agreements with the United States, the European Union, and India, all within the last two weeks, as evidence of the UK’s strengthened global position.
“Britain is in a better place than any other country in the world in terms of deals with those countries,” Reeves said. “The first deal and the best deal so far with the US, we’ve got the best deal with the EU for any country outside the EU, and we’ve got the best trade agreement with India.”
She emphasized the economic opportunities that stronger ties with the Gulf region could bring, particularly in sectors such as energy, infrastructure, and finance.
Negotiations with the GCC were launched under the previous Conservative government and have continued under Labour. The deal is seen as a key step in enhancing the UK's presence in the Middle East and diversifying its trade portfolio.
During President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev’s visit to Budapest, Uzbekistan and Hungary agreed on over €1.5 billion in new joint projects and outlined further cooperation in trade, finance, and culture.
The EU and UK unveiled new sanctions targeting Russia’s shadow oil fleet and financial networks, acting independently of the US after talks failed to yield a Ukraine ceasefire.
The EU plans to charge a new €2 fee on billions of small packages, mostly from China, challenging online retailers like Temu and Shein.
Kazakhstan is boosting support for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to attract European investment and accelerate economic growth.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer has apologised to Plaid Cymru MP Liz Saville Roberts for being "overly rude" during Prime Minister’s Questions last week.
During President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev’s visit to Budapest, Uzbekistan and Hungary agreed on over €1.5 billion in new joint projects and outlined further cooperation in trade, finance, and culture.
The EU and UK unveiled new sanctions targeting Russia’s shadow oil fleet and financial networks, acting independently of the US after talks failed to yield a Ukraine ceasefire.
The EU plans to charge a new €2 fee on billions of small packages, mostly from China, challenging online retailers like Temu and Shein.
Kazakhstan is boosting support for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to attract European investment and accelerate economic growth.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer has apologised to Plaid Cymru MP Liz Saville Roberts for being "overly rude" during Prime Minister’s Questions last week.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Ankara on May 15, with discussions reportedly focusing on upcoming peace talks between Ukrainian and Russian delegates in Istanbul.
Qatar signed a landmark agreement with U.S. aerospace giant Boeing on Wednesday to acquire 160 aircraft for Qatar Airways, a deal valued at $200 billion. The signing took place in Doha during the visit of U.S. President Donald Trump.
Ukrainian and Russian delegations meet behind closed doors at Istanbul’s Dolmabahçe Palace at 10:00 local time today to explore security guarantees, territorial integrity and a possible ceasefire.
EU approves 17th Russia sanctions, blacklisting almost 200 shadow‑fleet ships, 30 evasion firms and 75 defence figures, banning missile chemicals and arming Brussels to strike Kremlin hybrid and operations.
Tensions flare in the India-France Rafale deal as France refuses to share the fighter jet’s source code, limiting India’s ability to integrate indigenous weapons and reducing its combat autonomy.
The EU and UK unveiled new sanctions targeting Russia’s shadow oil fleet and financial networks, acting independently of the US after talks failed to yield a Ukraine ceasefire.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer has apologised to Plaid Cymru MP Liz Saville Roberts for being "overly rude" during Prime Minister’s Questions last week.
China announced a $500 million contribution to the WHO over five years, stepping in as the UN agency faces a funding shortfall after the U.S. cut support.
Spain has been hit by a major mobile network outage just weeks after a massive power blackout disrupted the country. The outage, reportedly caused by network upgrades from telecom provider Telefónica, affected emergency phone services and landline communication in multiple regions.
Pakistan’s army chief General Asim Munir has been promoted to the ceremonial rank of field marshal, the first such promotion in nearly 60 years.
During President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev’s visit to Budapest, Uzbekistan and Hungary agreed on over €1.5 billion in new joint projects and outlined further cooperation in trade, finance, and culture.
The EU and UK unveiled new sanctions targeting Russia’s shadow oil fleet and financial networks, acting independently of the US after talks failed to yield a Ukraine ceasefire.
The EU plans to charge a new €2 fee on billions of small packages, mostly from China, challenging online retailers like Temu and Shein.
Kazakhstan is boosting support for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to attract European investment and accelerate economic growth.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer has apologised to Plaid Cymru MP Liz Saville Roberts for being "overly rude" during Prime Minister’s Questions last week.
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