GULF COOPERATION COUNCIL

ESTABLISHMENT AND FUNCTIONS

      The text of the Charter for the Gulf Cooperation Council was agreed upon at a meeting of the Foreign Ministers of Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates, on February 4, 1981 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The Charter was signed by the Heads of State of these countries on May 25, 1981, in Abu Dhabi, at which time the Gulf Cooperation Council formally came into being.

      The objectives of the Gulf Cooperation Council, as stated in the Charter, are to effect coordination, integration and interconnection between Member States in all fields in order to achieve unity between them; to deepen and strengthen relations, links and scopes of cooperation prevailing between their peoples in various fields; to formulate similar regulations in various fields including, inter alias, economic and financial affairs, agriculture, industry, commerce, customs and communications, education and culture, social and health affairs, information and tourism, and legislative and administrative affairs; to stimulate scientific and technological progress in various fields, to establish scientific research centers and implement common projects, and to encourage cooperation by the private sector.

COMPOSITION

6 member countries: Kuwait - United Arab Emirates - Bahrain - Kingdom of Saudi Arabia - Oman - Qatar.

STRUCTURE

      The Supreme Council is the Gulf Cooperation Council's highest authority and is composed of the heads of Member States. Its presidency is rotated annually on the basis of the alphabetical order of names of Member States. The Supreme Council provides policy direction, reviews reports and recommendations submitted by subsidiary bodies, appoints the Secretary-General and approves the budget of the Secretariat- General, and approves the rules of procedure of the Commission for Settlement of Disputes and nominates its members. Resolutions are passed on the basis of unanimity for substantive matters and majority for procedural matters. The Supreme Council meets annually, and in Extraordinary session if requested by any member and seconded by another member.

      The Advisory Commission for the Supreme Council is a 30-member body with seats equally distributed among the six member countries composing the GCC. Established in 1998, it provides advice on any subjects referred to it by the Supreme Council.

      The Commission for Settlement of Disputes is formed separately for every case, based on the nature of the dispute. The Commission submits its recommendations to the Supreme Council for consideration.

      The Ministerial Council is composed of Foreign Ministers or such other ministers as Member States may delegate. Its Chairman is rotated every year. The state that hosts the summit assumes the chairmanship for the year. The Ministerial Council proposes policies and prepares recommendations, studies, and projects aimed at developing cooperation between Member States and endeavors to encourage, develop and coordinate activities existing between Member States in all fields. Resolutions are passed on the basis of unanimity for substantive matters and majority for procedural matters. The Ministerial Council meets every three months, and in Extraordinary session if requested by any member and seconded by another member.

      The Secretariat-General is headed by the Secretary-General, who is appointed by the Supreme Council for a three-year term, renewable only once. The Secretary-General nominates the Assistant Secretaries-General, who are appointed by the Ministerial Council to renewable three-year terms. The Secretariat-General is composed of the Office of the Secretary-General, Directorates of Political Affairs, Economic Affairs, Military Affairs, Environmental and Human Resources, Legal Affairs, Financial and Administrative Affairs, and an Information Center. There is also the GCC Permanent Mission to the European Commission in Brussels headed by an Ambassador.