Traffic Fines In The GCC To Be Linked Across Gulf Countries

Traffic fines and road violations will now be linked across all Gulf countries.

The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) announced an electronic system linking traffic violations during the 40th meeting of the GCC Interior Ministers in the Omani capital, Muscat.

Jassim Mohammed Al Budaiwi, Secretary General of the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf, explained that the initiative will contribute to achieving traffic safety goals and the range of unified traffic services for GCC citizens.

It was first shared that plans were in the works for Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and UAE to have a linked system for the sharing of road violation information during the 19th meeting of the Gulf Cooperation Council joint working group.

At the time, a statement issued online by the Secretariat General of the Gulf Cooperation Council revealed that “the latest information regarding the linking of systems and exchanging information on traffic violations between the general departments of traffic in the GCC countries and launching them soon.”

It has also been confirmed that a GCC common tourism visa is on its way and will roll out between 2024 and 2025.

In a statement to the Emirates News Agency (WAM), Abdullah bin Touq Al Marri, Minister of Economy said that the next steps are for the specific regulations and legislation for the visa to be developed.

“This initiative is an integral part of the GCC 2030 tourism strategy, designed to elevate the tourism sector’s contribution to the GDP through increased inter-GCC travel and elevated hotel occupancy rates, transforming the GCC into a pre-eminent global destination for both regional and international tourists,” the UAE Minister shared.