Charter of the Co-operation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf (GCC) – 1981

Charter of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC)

COOPERATION COUNCIL FOR THE ARAB STATES OF THE GULF

The United Arab Emirates
The State of Bahrain
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
The Sultanate of Oman
The State of Qatar, and
The State of Kuwait

Being fully aware of the ties of special relations, common characteristics and similar systems founded on the creedCreed Akida > it comes first, then Book. of Islam which bind them; and
Desiring to effect coordination, cooperation and integration between them in all fields; and,

Having the conviction that coordination, cooperation, and integration between them serve the sublime objectives of the Arab NationNation A collective consciousness, founded in ancient origin within a geographic area, with definite history and heritage, culture and way of life, language and literature, food and clothing, coupled with a deep understanding of war and peace is to be known as a nation. Rasra is the Vedic word for it.; and,

Having the conviction that coordination, cooperation, and integration between them serve the sublime objectives of the Arab Nation; and,

In pursuit of the goalAim ambition aspiration course desideratum design desire direction end intent intent/intention intention mark object objective plan purpose scheme target where one is heading wish of strengthening cooperation and reinforcement of the links between them; and

In an endeavour to complement efforts already begun in all essential areas that concern their peoples and realize their hopes for a better future on the path to unity of their States; and

In conformity with the Charter of the League of Arab States which calls for the realization of closer relations and stronger bonds; and
In order to channel their efforts to reinforce and serve Arab and Islamic causes,

Have agreed as follows:

ARTICLE ONE

The Establishment of the Council

A Council shall be established hereby to be named The Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf hereinafter referred to as the Cooperation Council (GCC).

ARTICLE TWO

The Cooperation Council shall have its headquarters in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

ARTICLE THREE
Cooperation Council Meetings

The Council shall hold its meetings in the state where it has its headquarters, and may convene in any member state.

ARTICLE FOUR

Objectives

The basic objectives of the Cooperation Council are:

To effect coordination, integration and inter-connection between Member States in all fields in order to achieve unity between them.
To deepen and strengthen relations, links and areas of cooperation now prevailing between their peoples in various fields.

To formulate similar regulations in various fields including the following:
Economic and financial affairs
CommerceCommercial Profit-making economic activities, such as the production, consumption, exchange, and distribution of goods and services, are primarily undertaken to earn money or a livelihood. Key Features > (1) Involve sale and exchange of goods and services for consideration (money or value), (2) Aim to earn profit and ensure business growth, (3) Include risk-bearing and creation of utility, (4) Economic in nature and satisfy customer needs. Commercial Activities > Earning profit, Business growth, Serving society, Achieving market leadership., customs and communications
Education and culture

To stimulate scientific and technological progress in the fields of industryIndustries A group of productive organizations or companies, participate in economic activities, and GDP > High-technology, Petroleum, Steel, Motor vehicles, Aerospace, Telecommunications, Chemicals, Electronics, Agribusiness, Food processing, Information technology, Artificial intelligence, Consumer goods, Lumber, Retail, Healthcare, Financial services, Mining, Renewable energy, Quantum computing, Space technology, Defence, Biotechnology, Pharmaceutical,, mining, agricultureAgriculture Modern agriculture encompasses the entire system of food, fiber, and fuel production, integrating crop cultivation, livestock rearing, agronomy, and agricultural economics. It includes arable farming, horticulture, pastoral and intensive livestock systems, all shaped by markets and public policy. Today, agriculture faces severe global challenges: food insecurity, climate change, soil degradation, water scarcity, biodiversity loss, post-harvest waste, and the vulnerability of smallholder farmers, particularly women. Feeding a growing global population while preserving ecosystems is the central dilemma. Innovative responses include climate-smart and conservation agriculture, agroecology, precision and digital farming, integrated pest management, sustainable intensification, urban agriculture, and genome editing. These interventions align with UN frameworks such as the Sustainable Development Goals, the Paris Agreement, and the mandates of FAO, WFP, and IFAD, which collectively guide efforts toward resilient, equitable, and sustainable global food systems., water and animal resources; to establish scientific research; to establish joint ventures and encourage cooperation by the private sectorPrivate Sector The term means all persons or entities in the United States, including individuals, partnerships, associations, corporations, and educational and nonprofit institutions, but shall not include State, local, or tribal governments. [CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET ACT OF 1974] for the good of their peoples.

ARTICLE FIVE

Council Membership

The Cooperation Council shall be formed of the six states that participated in the Foreign Ministers’ meeting held in Riyadh on 4 February 1981.

ARTICLE SIX

Organization of the Cooperation Council

The Cooperation Council shall have the following main organizations:

1- The Supreme Council to which shall be attached the Commission for Settlement of Disputes.
2. The Ministerial Council.
3. The Secretariat General.

Each of these organizations may establish sub-agencies as may be necessary.

ARTICLE SEVEN

Supreme Council

The Cooperation Council shall be formed of the six states that participated in the Foreign Ministers’ meeting held in Riyadh on 4 February 1981.

The Supreme Council is the highest authority of the Cooperation Council and shall be formed of heads of member states. Its presidency shall be rotatory based on the alphabetical order of the namesof the member states.

The Supreme Council shall hold one regular session every year. Extraordinary sessions may be convened at the request of any member seconded by another member.
The Supreme Council shall hold its sessions in the territories of member states.

A Supreme Council’s meeting shall be considered valid if attend by two-thirds of the member states.

ARTICLE EIGHT

The Functions of the Supreme Council

The Supreme Council shall endeavour to realize the objectives of the Cooperation Council, particularly as concerns the following:
Review matters of interest to the member states.
Lay down the higher policy for the Cooperation Council and the basic lines it should follow.
Review the recommendations, reports, studies and joint ventures submitted by the Ministerial Council for approval.
Review reports and studies, which the Secretary-General is charged to prepare.
Approve the bases for dealing with other states and international organizations.
Approve the rules of procedure of the Commission for the Settlement of Disputes and nominate its members.
Appoint the Secretary-General.

Amend the Charter of the Cooperation Council.

Approve the Council’s internal rules of procedure.

Approve the budget of the Secretariat General.

ARTICLE NINE

Voting in the Supreme Council

The Cooperation Council shall be formed of the six states that participated in the Foreign Ministers’ meeting held in Riyadh on 4 February 1981.

Each member of the Supreme Council shall have one vote.

Resolutions of the Supreme Council in substantive matters shall be carried by unanimous approval of the member states participating in the voting, while resolutions on procedural matters shall be carried by majority vote.

ARTICLE TEN

Commission for the Settlement of Disputes

The Cooperation Council shall have a commission called “The Commission for the Settlement of Disputes” which shall be attached to the Supreme Council.

The Supreme Council shall establish the composition of the Commission for every case on an “ad hoc” basis in accordance with the nature of the dispute.

If a dispute arises over interpretation or implementation of the Charter and such dispute is not resolved within the Ministerial Council or the Supreme Council, the Supreme Council may refer such dispute to the Commission for the Settlement of Disputes.

The Commission shall submit its recommendations or opinionOpinion A judge's written explanation of a decision of the court. In an appeal, multiple opinions may be written. The court’s ruling comes from a majority of judges and forms the majority opinion. A dissenting opinion disagrees with the majority because of the reasoning and/or the principles of law on which the decision is based. A concurring opinion agrees with the end result of the court but offers further comment possibly because they disagree with how the court reached its conclusion., as applicable, to the Supreme Council for such action as the Supreme Council deems appropriate.

ARTICLE ELEVEN

Ministerial Council

The Ministerial Council shall be formed of the Foreign Ministers of the member states or other delegated ministers. The Council Presidency shall be for the member state, which presided the last ordinary session of the Supreme Council, or if necessary, for the state which is next to preside the Supreme Council.

The Ministerial Council shall convene every three months and may hold extraordinary sessions at the invitation of any member seconded by another member.

The Ministerial Council shall determine the venue of its next session.

A Council’s meeting shall be deemed valid if attended by two-thirds of the member states.

ARTICLE TWELVE

Functions of the Ministerial Council

Propose policies, prepare recommendations, studies and projects aimed at developing cooperation and coordination between member states in various fields and adopt the resolutions or recommendations required in this regard.
Endeavour to encourage, develop and coordinate activities existing between member states in all fields. Resolutions adopted in such matters shall be referred to the Ministerial Council for further submission, with recommendations to the Supreme Council for appropriate action.
Submit recommendations to the Ministers concerned to formulate policies whereby the Cooperation Council’s resolutions may be put into effect.
Encourage means of cooperation and coordination between the various private sector activities, develop existing cooperation between the member states’ Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and encourage the movement within the GCC of workers who are citizens of the member states.
Refer any of the various aspects of cooperation to one or more technical or specialised committee for study and presentation of appropriate recommendations.
Review proposals related to amendments to this Charter and submit appropriate recommendations to the Supreme Council.
Approve Rules of Procedure of both the Ministerial Council and the Secretariat General.
Appoint the Assistant Secretaries-General, as nominated by the Secretary-General, for a period of three year, renewable.
Approve periodic reports as well as internal rules and regulations relating to administrative and financial affairs proposed by the Secretary-General, and submit recommendations to the Supreme Council for approval of the budget of the Secretariat General.
Make arrangements for meetings of the Supreme Council and prepare its agenda.
Review matters referred to it by the Supreme Council.

ARTICLE THIRTEEN

Voting in the Ministerial Council

Every member of the Ministerial Council shall have one vote.
Resolutions of the Ministerial Council in substantive matters shall be carried by unanimous vote of the member state present and participating in the vote, and in procedural matters by majority vote.

ARTICLE FOURTEEN

The Secretariat General

The Secretariat General shall be composed of a Secretary-General who shall be assisted by assistants and a numberNumber Αριθμός of staff as required.
The Supreme Council shall appoint the Secretary-General, who shall be a citizen of one of the Cooperation Council states, for a period of three years, which may be renewed once only.
The Secretary-General shall nominate the Assistant Secretaries-General.
The Secretary-General shall appoint the Secretariat General staff from among the citizens of member states, and may not make exceptions without the approval of the Ministerial Council.
The Secretary-General shall be directly responsible for the work of the Secretariat General and the smooth flow of work in its various organizations. He shall represent the Cooperation Council with other parties within the limits of the authority vested in him.

ARTICLE FIFTEEN

Functions of the Secretariat General

The Secretariat General shall:
Prepare studies related to cooperation and coordination, and to integrated plans and programmes for member states’ action.
Prepare periodic reports on the work of the Cooperation Council.
Follow up the implementation by the member states of the resolutions and recommendations of the Supreme Council and Ministerial Council.
Prepare reports and studies requested by the Supreme Council or Ministerial Council.
Prepare the draft of administrative and financial regulations commensurate with the growth of the Cooperation Council and its expanding responsibilities.
Prepare the budgets and closing accountsAccounting It is the process of recording, summarizing, analyzing, and reporting financial transactions of a business or individual. Types of Accounts > Assets- Things you own (cash, property) Liabilities- Things you owe (loans, bills) Equity- Owner’s stake in the business Revenue- Money you earn (sales, services) Expenses- Costs to run the business of the Cooperation Council.
Make preparations for meetings and prepare agendas and draft resolutions for the Ministerial Council.
Recommend to the Chairman of the Ministerial Council the convening of an extraordinary session of the Council when necessary.
Any other tasks entrusted to it by the Supreme Council or Ministerial Council.

ARTICLE SIXTEEN

The Secretary-General and the Assistant Secretaries-General and all the Secretariat General staff shall carry out their duties in complete independence and for the joint benefit of the member states.

They shall refrain from any action or behaviour that is incompatible with their duties and from divulging confidential matters relating to their appointments either during or after their tenure of officeOffice Αξίωμα > Officer > Office-bearer (1593) > Opus, officium, ex officio (Latin). Box-office (Cash Box)..

ARTICLE SEVENTEEN

Privileges and Immunities

The Cooperation Council and its organizations shall enjoy on the territories of all member states such legal competence, privileges and immunities as are required to realize their objectives and carry out their functions.

Representatives of the members on the Council, and the Council’s employees, shall enjoy such privileges and immunities as are specified in agreements to be concluded for this purpose between the member states. A special agreementContract An agreement enforceable by law is a contract. All agreements are contracts if they are made by the free consent of parties competent to contract, for a lawful consideration and with a lawful object, and are not hereby expressly declared to be void. Indian Contract Act. shall organize the relation between the Council and the state in which it has its headquarters.

Until such timeTime χρόνος. Judicial: Where any expression of it occurs in any Rules, or any judgment, order or direction, and whenever the doing or not doing of anything at a certain time of the day or night or during a certain part of the day or night has an effect in law, that time is, unless it is otherwise specifically stated, held to be standard time as used in a particular country or state. (In Physics, time and Space never exist actually-“quantum entanglement”) यमः , पुं, (यमयति नियमयति जीवानां फलाफलमिति । यम् + अच् । विश्वे च कलयत्येव यः सर्व्वायुश्च सन्ततम् । अतीव दुर्निवार्य्यञ्च तं कालं प्रणमाम्यहम् ॥यमैश्च नियमैश्चैव यः करोत्यात्मसंयमम् । स चादृष्ट्वा तु मां याति परं ब्रह्म सनातनम् ॥ as the two agreements mentioned in item 2 above are prepared and put into effect, the representatives of the member states in the Cooperation Council and its staff shall enjoy the diplomatic privileges and immunities established for similar organizations.

ARTICLE EIGHTEEN

Budget of the Secretariat General

The Secretariat General shall have a budget to which the member states shall contribute in equal amounts.

ARTICLE NINETEEN

The Implementation of the Charter

This Charter shall go into effect as of the date it is signed by the Head of States of the six member states named in this Charter’s preamble.

The original copy of this Charter shall be deposited with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia which shall act as custodian and shall deliver a true copy thereof to every member state, pending the establishment of the Secretariat General, at which time the latter shall become depository.

ARTICLE TWENTY

Amendments to the Charter

Any member state may request an amendment of this Charter.
Request for Charter amendments shall be submitted to the Secretary-General who shall refer them to the member states at least four months prior to submission to the Ministerial Council.
An amendment shall become effective if unanimously approved by the Supreme Council.

ARTICLE TWENTYONE

Closing Provisions

No reservations may be voiced in respect of the provisions of this Charter.

ARTICLE TWENTYTWO

The Secretariat General shall arrange to deposit and register copies of this Charter with the League of Arab States and the United NationsUNO The main bodies of the United Nations are the General Assembly, the Security Council, the Economic and Social Council, the Trusteeship Council, the International Court of Justice, and the UN Secretariat. All were established under the UN Charter when the Organization was founded in 1945. It has 193 members., by resolution of the Ministerial Council.
This Charter is signed on one copy in the ArabicArabic Most widely spoken Semitic language, is an official language in 27 countries. Since 1971, it has been one of the UN's official languages. The term "Arabic" encompasses both regional dialects and Modern Standard Arabic (MSA), used across the Arab world for formal and written communication. ا Alif अ (A) ب Bā ब (Ba) ت Tā त (Ta) ث Thā थ (Tha) ج Jīm ज (Ja) ح Ḥā ह (Hard H) خ Khā ख़ (Kha, as in ख़बर) د Dāl द (Da) ذ Dhāl ज़ (Za/Dha, as in ज़ेहर) ر Rā र (Ra) ز Zā ज़ (Za) س Sīn स (Sa) ش Shīn श (Sha) ص Ṣād स (Hard Sa) ض Ḍād द (Hard Da) ط Ṭā ट (Hard Ta) ظ Ẓā ज़ (Za, heavy sound) ع ʿAyn अ (Glottal A, deeper throat) غ Ghayn ग़ (Gha, as in ग़लत) ف Fā फ (Fa) ق Qāf क़ (Qa, deeper Ka sound) ك Kāf क (Ka) ل Lām ल (La) م Mīm म (Ma) ن Nūn न (Na) ه Hā ह (Ha) و Wāw व/उ/ओ (Wa/U/O, depending on use) ي Yā य (Ya)   language at Abu Dhabi City, United Arab Emirates, on 21 Rajab 1401 corresponding to 25 May 1981.

The United Arab Emirates
The State of Bahrain
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
The Sultanate of Oman
The State of Qatar
The State of Kuwait ​​

DATE: 25 May 1981