The Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf, commonly known as the Gulf Cooperation Council, has been making significant contribution towards the overall development of the six member countries by promoting, religion, trade, culture, tourism, customs and administration and enhancing the brotherly relations between the peoples of the six member states. The Charter of the GCC was signed on May 25, 1981, formally establishing the council and since then the organisation exerted a great deal of efforts in integrating relations between the member states in all walks of life.
Amir H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani led a high-level delegation to the 42nd meeting of the Suprme Council of the GCC yesterday in Riyadh. Crown Prince and Deputy Chairman of the Council of Ministers and Minister of Defence of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia H R H Prince Mohammad bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud extended a warm welcome to H H the Amir on arrival at the King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh in the evening. The reception itself was a testament to the closer, brotherly relations between the two leaders and their countries.
The meeting discussed several topics of relevance including, ways to strengthen cooperation and integration between member states in several fields and the repercussions of the pandemic on the Gulf region as a whole as it was just the second Supreme Council meeting since the onslaught of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The 41st Gulf Summit had set a milestone in the march of the Council with the signing of the Al-Ula agreement on January 5, this year, which resulted in closer cooperation, better trade, free movement of people and goods between the states and stronger relations among the peoples of the member states. As one of the prime goals of the establishment of GCC was promotion of economics and security of the Gulf states, the final communique of the meeting reminded that Article 2 of the mutual defence agreement states that the member states consider any attack on any of them as an attack on every member.
The leaders stressed on the importance of following up on the goals of achievements of the vision of the GCC states in economic diversification, maximise the benefit of the economic potential using opportunities to double joint investments among the member states.
The meeting also discussed fostering scientific and technical progress in different area, enhancing women's participation, sustainable development etc. As it was reiterated on several occasions, Qatar will, of course, be at the forefront of the efforts towards achieving the targeted development and peace in the region.
