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Introduction -
Gulf Co-Op Council -
Gulf Investment -
KSA Relations -
The Arab League
 Introduction
Within the Arab world, the Kingdom, which has worked tirelessly to create and enhance Arab solidarity, has persistently pursued a
policy designed to resolve disputes by diplomatic means.
In its relations with the major industrialized powers (the United States of America, Western Europe and Japan), the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has always recognized the economic interdependence which must exist between those who need oil and the country which holds 25% of the world's oil reserves, and has endeavored to stabilize the oil price at a level which takes account of the needs of both net producers and net consumers.
At the same time, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is part of the Arab world and, above all, has been entrusted with the guardianship of the Holy Places of Islam. Both its Arab and its Muslim heritage mean that its basic political tenets and its foreign policy objectives are sometimes not co-incident with those of other
political and economic power blocs.
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Gulf Co-Op Council
The Co-operation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf, more commonly known as the Gulf Co-operation Council (GCC), was founded on 22 Rajab 1401 AH (25th May, 1981), when the kings and princes of Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the Sultanate of Oman and the United Arab Emirates signed the new organization's constitution.
The constitution of the GCC requires the organization to provide "the means for realizing co-ordination, integration and co-operation" in economic, social and cultural affairs. Specifically, the GCC aims:
- To achieve co-ordination, integration and close ties leading to unity between the member states
- To deepen the ties, relations and all aspects of co-operation between the peoples of the region
- To adopt similar systems and laws in economics and financial affairs; commercial, customs and transportation affairs;
education and cultural affairs; social and health affairs; communication, informational, political, legislative
and administrative affairs
- To encourage progress in the sciences and technologies involved in industry, mining, agriculture, water and animal resources, and to establish scientific research centers and to undertake joint projects
The structure of the organization consists of the Supreme Council, the
Ministerial Council and the Secretariat General.
The Supreme Council (the highest authority of the GCC) comprises the heads of state of the six member countries. The Supreme Council meets once a year in ordinary session. Emergency sessions can be convened at any time by the heads of
any two member states.
The chairmanship of the Council is held by each member state in turn. Resolutions are carried by majority vote. The Supreme Council is responsible for determining the overall policy of the GCC and for ratifying
recommendations presented to it by the Ministerial Council or the Secretariat General.The Ministerial Council comprises the Foreign Ministers of the six member countries.
The Ministerial Council meets once every three months in ordinary session. Emergency sessions can be convened at any time by the Foreign Ministers of any two member states. The Ministerial Council draws up policies and makes recommendations on means of developing co-operation and co-ordination amongst member states in the economic, social and cultural spheres.
The Secretariat General prepares reports, studies, accounts and budgets for the GCC. It drafts rules and regulations and is charged with the responsibility of assisting member states in the implementation of decisions taken by the Supreme and Ministerial Councils. The Secretary General is appointed for a three-year period (renewable) by the Supreme Council on the recommendation of the Ministerial Council.
The Secretariat is based in the city of Riyadh. The GCC headquarters is located in the Diplomatic Quarter, where a substantial complex, financed by a gift from King Fahd, has been built to meet the Secretariat's present and future needs.
The GCC represents a bold move towards regional integration. The speed of its progress has been remarkable, aided by the homogeneity of religious commitment and common economic, social and cultural interests. In the past, there have been a number of grandiose schemes to unite parts of the Arab world, all of which have foundered. The GCC, more modest in ambition, has shown how, with the commitment of heads of state, a well-planned and rational program of integration is possible, given time to resolve the inevitable problems. Gulf Co-operation Council
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Gulf Investment
In 1983 (1403/04 AH), the six member states of the
GCC founded the
Gulf Investment Corporation. The Corporation, which is based in Kuwait (PO Box
3402, Safat, 13035), is involved in investing in a wide range of industrial and
agricultural projects in the GCC countries.
Gulf Investment Corporation
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KSA Wider Relations With other Arab Countries
In its relations with the wider Arab world, the Kingdom's policy is to assist in the economic and social development of less wealthy Arab countries and to use its substantial diplomatic influence to resolve inter-Arab disputes
wherever possible.
In pursuit of these aims, the Kingdom plays an active role as a member of many pan-Arab and Muslim organizations.
Through these organizations, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia deploys its energies and resources for the advancement of Islamic and Arab unity, and to assist in the economic and social development of the Arab world.
- AAAID
Arab Authority for Agricultural Investment and Development (PO Box 2102, Khartoum, Sudan) was founded in 1976 (1396/97 AH) with the primary objective of assisting in the agricultural development of the Arab world.
- AGFUND
Arab Gulf Program for the United Nations Development Organization (PO Box 18371,
Riyadh 11415) was founded in 1981 (1401/02 AH) to help finance projects
undertaken by the United Nations' organizations and to co-ordinate the aid
efforts of the GCC countries.
- Arab Bureau of Education for the Gulf States
The Arab Bureau of Education for the Gulf States (PO Box 3908, Riyadh 11481)
aims at the co-ordination and, wherever possible, the integration of the
educational and scientific efforts of the GCC member states.
- Arab Towns Organization
The Arab Towns Organization (PO Box 68160, Kaifan 71962, Kuwait) was founded in
1967 (1386/87 AH) with the primary objective of assisting Arab towns in
resolving environmental problems.
- AFESD
AFESD - Arab Fund for Economic and Social Development (PO Box 21923, Safat,
Kuwait) was founded in 1968 (1387/88 AH) to help finance economic and social development projects in the Arab states.
- Arab Sports Federation
Arab Sports Federation (PO Box 6040, Riyadh) was founded in 1976 (1396 AH) to encourage the development of and regional co-operation in sport.
- Center for Research in Islamic Economics
Center for Research in Islamic Economics (PO Box 16711, King Abdul Aziz
University, Jiddah 21474) was founded in 1977 (1397/98 AH) to co-ordinate and support research into Islamic economics.
- SCHWA
The Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (PO Box 11-8575, Riad-El-Solh Square, Beirut, Lebanon) was founded in 1974 (1394 AH) to expand the facilities for researching and co-ordinating developmental activities, previously offered by the United Nations Economic and Social Office in Beirut.
- GOIC
Gulf Organization for Industrial Consulting (PO Box 5114, Doha, Qatar) was founded with the objective of co-ordinating industrial development and mounting joint venture projects in the region.
- International Association of Islamic Banks
International Association of Islamic Banks (PO Box 4992, Jiddah) was founded in 1977 (1397/98 AH).
- Muslim World League
Muslim World League (PO Box 537, Makkah) was founded in 1962 (1381/82 AH) to promote Islamic unity.
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The Arab League
The Arab League (officially, the League of Arab States) was formed in 1945 (1364/64 AH). The founder members were the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia,
Egypt, Jordan (then Transjordan), Lebanon, Iraq, Syria and Yemen. The purpose of the League was to foster Arab co-operation and unity.
Since its formation, another 15 Arab states have joined the League.
Egypt was expelled from the League in 1979 (1399/1400 AH), following its bi-lateral peace agreement with Israel (the Camp David Accords). After ten years
of isolation, Egypt was re-admitted to the League in 1989 (1409/10 AH).
The present membership of the League is as follows:
- Algeria
- Bahrain
- Comoros
- Djibouti
- Egypt
- Iraq
- Jordan
- Kuwait
- Lebanon
- Libya
- Mauritania
- Morocco
- Oman
- Palestine
- Qatar
- Saudi Arabia
- Somalia
- Sudan
- Syria
- Tunisia
- United Arab Emirates
- Yemen
The headquarters of the Arab League is in Tunisia (37, Avenue Khereddine Pacha, Tunis). The League's organization consists of a Council and a General
Secretariat.
The Council, which is the Arab League's supreme authority, includes all the member states, each state having one vote. (The League is a voluntary
association of sovereign Arab states and decisions are binding only on those states which have voted in support of a resolution.)
The General Secretariat of the Arab League is charged with the responsibility of implementing the decisions of the Council and provides a wide range of
financial, research and administrative services.Attached to the League are a number of committees dealing with key aspects of policy. These are:
- The Permanent Committee for Administrative and Financial Affairs
- The Committee of Arab Experts on Co-operation
- Arab Oil Experts Committee
- Arab Women's Committee
- Communications Committee
- Cultural Committee
- Economic Committee
- Health Committee
- Human Rights Committee
- Information Committee
- Legal Committee
- Permanent Committee for Meteorology
- Political Committee
- Social Committee
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