International Organizations - Gulf Cooperation Council
An international intergovernmental organization is an entity formed by the governments of various foreign countries to coordinate government policy and/or action on targeted issues. The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) is one type of an international organization. It is an organization that seeks the unity of its member countries in all fields.
Formation, Members, and Purpose
In 1981, the leaders of Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates signed the Gulf Cooperation Council Charter (GCC Charter). The GCC has as its main purpose the integration of its member countries - by strengthening ties between the citizens of those countries, coordinating policies in areas such as economics, reducing barriers to trade, and promoting similar legislation in each country. The GCC member nations are Arab nations founded on the principles of Islam.
Structure
The GCC is headed by the Supreme Council, which is made up of the heads of the GCC member countries. The Council's presidency rotates annually among the member states. The Council generally meets annually, but it may meet more often if two-thirds of the member nations agree to do so. At Council meetings, each member country has one vote and decisions on major issues must be unanimous. The Supreme Council refers some issues for study to a Consultative Commission, which is formed by 30 citizens, five from each member country. In addition, the Supreme Council refers disputes to a Commission for the Settlement of Disputes.
The GCC also has a Ministerial Council, formed by the member nations' ministers of foreign affairs. The Ministerial Council meets four times a year and is responsible for coordinating the GCC's activities and proposing policies for the Supreme Council to consider. The Ministerial provides other support services to the Supreme Council, such as setting the agenda for their meetings.
Like many international organizations, the GCC has a Secretariat-General, which is responsible for the day-to-day administrative matters of the organization, such as preparing reports and drafting agendas for meetings. A Secretary-General leads the Secretariat, and this Secretary-General is appointed by the Supreme Council for three-year renewable terms. The Secretariat has several different divisions, including political affairs, legal affairs, and telecommunications.
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