Under the aegis of Riyadh Gov. Prince Sattam, members of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Sunday celebrated in Riyadh the 31st anniversary of the council’s founding.
GCC Secretary-General Abdulatif Al-Zayyani, GCC ambassadors and other foreign ambassadors were present at the ceremony.
When Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah called for the formation of a Gulf union he was referring to the long-term relations of coordination, cooperation and integration between GCC member states.
“I ask today that we move from a phase of cooperation to a phase of union within a single entity,” said the king, addressing his counterparts at the opening session of the Gulf Cooperation Council summit in Riyadh on Dec 19, 2011.
Over three decades of serious teamwork resulted in a firm established entity with the support of leaders and a population that believed cooperation and unity was a base for sustainable development and secured stability, resulting in many achievements.
The third decade of the GCC witnessed the establishment of the Customs Union in 2003, Gulf Common Market in 2008 and the Monetary Union and Electricity Unity agreements signed in 2009. The GCC also took major steps in the economic and development fields and in 2010 decided to establish the Development Project Financing Program with a capital of $ 20 billion for 10 years, half of which was to be designated for development projects in Bahrain, and the other half for projects in Oman. Politically, the GCC exerted all efforts to support Arab state issues and regional stability. The GCC exerted all efforts to aid Yemen to overcome its civil unrest and reach a state of stability and security.
On May 10 last year the GCC took a historic step during its 13th Consultative Meeting in Riyadh when its Supreme Council welcomed a request put forward by Jordan and Morocco to join the bloc.
In the field of security and defense, the GCC’s leaders signed the Joint Defense Agreement and the GCC Defense Strategy in 2009.
Commenting on the king’s initiative, Assistant Secretary-General for Cultural and Media Affairs at the GCC Khalid Al-Ghassany said the proposal was largely welcomed and promised a boost to GCC ties.
GCC marks 31 years of cooperation
