The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) is actively pursuing the exemption of its member states' citizens from the Schengen visa, according to the bloc's secretary general, Jasem Albudaiwi.

Albudaiwi revealed plans to address this matter during his upcoming trip to Brussels, emphasizing the GCC's strong case for visa exemption due to its positive contributions to Europe in various fields such as education, tourism, and trade.

Highlighting the stability and positive exports of GCC countries, Albudaiwi expressed optimism about achieving the Schengen visa waiver, citing the beneficial impact of GCC investments in Europe.

The GCC, comprising Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Kuwait, Oman, Bahrain, and Qatar, has already approved a unified Gulf visa system, enabling travelers to move freely across the six member countries. Technical committees are currently finalizing the unified visa system, with expectations for its issuance later this year.

In a landmark move, GCC interior ministers endorsed a Schengen-like unified tourist visa during a meeting in Oman, signaling a significant step towards bolstering tourism and economic growth across member states.