Manama: The Kingdom of Bahrain, under its presidency of the 46th session of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), chaired the 32nd meeting of the Committee of Heads of Capital Market Authorities (or their equivalents) within the GCC. The meeting, conducted via videoconference, was led by Ms. Noora Hasan Abdulghani, Executive Director of Supervision at the Central Bank of Bahrain, and included participation from His Excellency Mr. Khalid bin Ali Al-Sunaidi, Assistant Secretary-General for Economic and Development Affairs at the GCC General Secretariat, alongside representatives from the member states.
According to Central Bank of Bahrain, the meeting focused on several key topics, including the progress of initiatives assigned to the GCC Capital Markets (Stock Exchanges) Committee and updates regarding member states' internal procedures to activate the Cross-Border Registration Regulation for Investment Funds. Discussions also covered a proposal from the GCC Capital Markets Integration Strategy Working Group concerning the implementation of the 'Exchange of Expertise and Experiences among GCC Authorities' initiative and its projected benefits.
The Committee reviewed submissions from the Working Group on the feasibility of standardizing the Investment Account Opening Requirements and the Know Your Customer (KYC) form. Additionally, two studies presented by the Working Group of Officials Responsible for Training and Studies were evaluated, one focusing on human capital within the capital markets sector and another on the application of artificial intelligence in securities markets, accompanied by related recommendations.
The Saudi Capital Market Authority delivered a presentation on the accomplishments of the fourth season of the GCC Smart Investor Award and shared updates on the upcoming fifth season in 2026. The Committee also examined a report on the 'Mulim' program awareness campaigns from the first and second quarters of 2026 and reviewed a periodic report assessing initiatives aimed at enhancing cooperation among GCC capital market regulatory authorities.