The Third Gulf Cooperating Countries (GCC) Cooperatives Forum was held in Kuwait from January 5 to 7. The forum was organized under the leadership of  H.E. Mr. Aqeel Ahmed Jassim, Director General of the Executive Office of the Council of Ministers of Labour and Council of Ministers of Social Affairs in GCC States to discuss, "role of Cooperatives under Market Economy and its Mechanisms." Delegates from Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, UAE, the General Secretariat of the Gulf Cooperation Council, the Arab Cooperative Union, and the International Cooperative Alliance participated in the Forum. The workshop was inaugurated by   H.E. Ms. Hind Subeeh Barrak Al-Sabeeh, Minister of Social Affairs and Labour and Minister of State for Planning and Development in Kuwait who spoke on the need for development of common goals and objectives in the GCC for the enrichment and diversity of cooperatives. Among the recommendation of the Forum were the need to adhere to the principles of cooperative and interests of citizens; importance of and the need for training members, boards of directors, and executive management; establishment of a national institute for cooperative to raise the technical capacity in cooperatives; unify the financial, administrative and accounting systems in all cooperative societies; reduce the restrictions that limit the freedom of movement and creativity for cooperative societies; strengthen mutual trust between the government and cooperatives and avoid interference; collaboration among cooperatives on sales and marketing; emphasis on the authority of the General Assemblies in the regulatory and operational policies for the development of cooperative societies work; and the establishment of a Gulf Cooperative Development Fund to provide financial support for the development of cooperative sectors.