The Gulf Cooperation Council: The Time Has Come for Strength Befitting It
When the leaders of the Gulf Arab states convened in the UAE capital, Abu Dhabi, on May 25, 1981, and announced the establishment of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), it was not a transient political decision imposed by the circumstances of that era. Rather, it was a strategic vision that anticipated the future, recognizing that shared destiny, geography, religion, and history necessitate that Gulf states act as a single body. It understood that the security of one member state is the security of all, and that their prosperity and stability are a collective responsibility that cannot be fragmented.
Since that day, a succession of statesmen have served in the Council’s General Secretariat, leaving clear imprints on its blessed journey. This began with the first Secretary-General, Abdullah Yaqoub Bishara, who bore the responsibility of founding and laying the initial stones of this Gulf edifice, followed by Sheikh Fahim bin Sultan Al Qasimi, Sheikh Jamil bin Ibrahim Al-Hajilan, Abdulrahman bin Hamad Al-Attiyah, Abdul Latif bin Rashid Al Zayani, Nayef Falah Al-Hajraf, and culminating in the current Secretary-General, Jassem Mohamed Al-Bedaiwi, who continues with vigor and activity the path of joint Gulf work during a period considered among the most delicate the region has ever experienced.
Opinion Articles
Exclusive Content
Breaking News
All of them deserve gratitude and appreciation for their sincere efforts in serving the Council, enhancing its presence, strengthening its institutions, and consolidating its regional and international standing.
Over more than four decades, the Council’s path has not been easy. It has faced significant challenges, severe difficulties, and existential tests, foremost among them the Iraqi occupation of Kuwait in 1990. That event proved that Gulf security is indivisible and that standing as one united front is not merely a choice, but an existential necessity.
Challenges then followed in succession, from terrorism and regional unrest to economic crises, leading up to the security and military developments witnessed in the region today. Nevertheless, the GCC has remained steadfast. Thanks to God and then through the wisdom of its leaders, it has navigated many turning points and maintained its status as one of the most successful regional blocs in the Arab world. However, recent changes have clearly revealed that the nature of threats is no longer what it used to be. Threats are no longer limited to traditional armies; they now include ballistic missiles, unmanned aerial vehicles, cross-border militias, media and cyber warfare, and proxy forces targeting the security of states and the stability of their peoples.
Unfortunately, since the establishment of its revolution in 1979, Iran has continued to adopt a contradictory discourse. While it claims its attacks target American military bases or facilities, the facts witnessed by the world show that attacks have hit civilian areas, raising concerns in several Gulf states, most notably the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Kuwait, Bahrain, and other member states have also witnessed campaigns of baseless accusations and threats that contradict the principles of good neighborliness and respect for state sovereignty.
Furthermore, the situation in fraternal Yemen demands that everyone double their efforts to reach a solution that preserves its unity and sovereignty, ends the suffering of its people, and restores the legitimate Yemeni state and its institutions, thereby ensuring security and stability for Yemen and the entire region.
From this perspective, the coming phase requires transitioning the GCC from a stage of coordination to one of deeper integration: integration in defense, intelligence, cyber security, and military industries; food security and energy; and the economy and scientific research. This will enable the Council to better protect its interests and be more prepared to face any future challenges.
The Gulf states lack neither men nor capabilities, nor expertise, nor political will. By the grace of God, they possess wise leadership, conscious populations, influential economies, and military and security forces renowned for their competence. What this stage requires is greater institutional integration and accelerated steps toward joint action, so that the Gulf remains an oasis of security and stability amid a world teeming with changes.
History has proven that the Cooperation Council was not a temporary political project, but rather a project of security, stability, development, and shared destiny.
Today, following all that our region has witnessed, the need for greater cohesion, presence, and capacity to protect its security and gains has become more urgent than ever. It must remain, by God’s will, a strong and secure shield for its peoples, a support for the Ummah, and a successful model of regional cooperation. Thus, the slogan for the coming phase should be: stronger unity and deeper integration; deterrence that preserves peace, does not seek war, yet does not compromise the security of homelands.
“Gulf of AlUla… neither the wind extinguishes its light, nor does hatred, however dark the night may be, intimidate it. When truth and faith meet in one hand, all the fortresses of the earth elevate their processions.”
May God protect the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the State of Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, the State of Qatar, the Kingdom of Bahrain, and the Sultanate of Oman. May He protect Yemen and its people, and perpetuate security, unity, and dignity for the Cooperation Council states. May He make their united word a force that deters aggressors, a peace that safeguards homelands, and a future befitting their peoples and coming generations. Amen, O Lord.
Saudi Media Advisor
