The 44th Anniversary of the Founding of the Gulf Cooperation Council
By Tareq Yousef AlShumaimry
Former Secretary-General of the Commercial Arbitration Centre of the Gulf Cooperation Council
The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), also known as the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf, was founded by the late Amir of Kuwait, Sheikh Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, and the late President of the United Arab Emirates, Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, both of whom played a pivotal role in fostering closer cooperation among the Gulf states.
The shared vision of regional unity, security, and economic integration among the leaders of Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates led to the formal establishment of the Gulf Cooperation Council through a charter signed by the six countries in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, on 25 May 1981, known as the Charter of the Gulf Cooperation Council.
Unity among its members was based on their shared goals and similar political and cultural identities, deeply rooted in Arab and Islamic cultures.
Arguably, one of the most important provisions of the GCC Charter is Article 4, which states that the alliance was formed to strengthen relations among member states and promote cooperation among their citizens. The GCC also has a Defense Planning Council that coordinates military cooperation among member states.
The highest decision-making body in the GCC is the Supreme Council, which comprises the leaders, kings, and presidents of the GCC states. They meet at their annual summit and make decisions unanimously.
The GCC Ministerial Council, composed of foreign ministers or other government officials, meets every three months to implement the Supreme Council’s decisions and propose new policies. The administrative arm of the alliance is the GCC General Secretariat Office, which monitors policy implementation and arranges meetings.
