A preparatory committee of Gulf Cooperation Council central bank governors convened virtually under Bahrain’s presidency to advance regional integration across payments, banking supervision, financial technology, and cybersecurity, according to the Central Bank of Bahrain. Chaired by Hesa Abdulla Al Sada, Executive Director of Central Banking and Macro-Prudential Oversight at the Central Bank of Bahrain, the session gathered committee representatives from member states alongside Khalid bin Ali Al Sunaidi, Assistant Secretary-General for Economic and Development Affairs at the GCC General Secretariat.

During the proceedings, delegates evaluated joint initiatives and recommendations from specialized working groups covering payment system harmonization and fintech innovation. The committee also focused on developing shared policy frameworks to reinforce financial system resilience, establishing cross-border information-sharing mechanisms for sector-wide cybersecurity, and aligning regional efforts to counter money laundering and terrorist financing across the GCC.

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