Muscat - May 25 marks the 42nd anniversary of the founding of the Cooperation Council (GCC) for the Arab States, during which the member states made great strides in achieving the goals set by the Statute of the Council by strengthening economic integration and political cooperation, regional development, closer ties between peoples, and the establishment of similar systems in various fields.
The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) for the Arab States came into force on May 25, 1981, in exceptional circumstances as a result of regional tensions at that time and the political, security, and economic challenges facing the countries of the region, which prompted the GCC countries to unify efforts and cooperation among them and to enhance economic, political and security integration to achieve stability and cooperation. and face these challenges.
The main objectives of the establishment of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) are to achieve coordination, integration, and interdependence among member states in all fields, to strengthen ties between their peoples, and to establish similar regulations in various economic, financial, commercial, customs and transportation fields, and in educational, cultural, social, health, and media affairs, tourism legislative and administrative sectors, advancing scientific and technical progress in the fields of industry, mining, agriculture, water, and animal resources, establishing scientific research centers and establishing joint projects, and encouraging private sector cooperation.
Sayyid Badr bin Hamad al-Busaidi, Minister of Foreign Affairs, that His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik in his first speech after assuming the reins of power stressed the continuation of supporting the GCC march, as His Majesty said: "We will continue with our brothers, the leaders of the GCC states to contribute to advancing the process of cooperation between our countries to achieve the aspirations of our peoples and to push forward the achievements of the Cooperation Council."
He said it is necessary for us to highlight its remarkable achievements, and what the development indicators of the GCC countries have achieved in all fields, which gives us all more confidence and will to move forward with the blessed march of cooperation and achievement and what is good and development for all citizens of the GCC countries.
The most important joint economic projects during the past 40 years of the GCC are the achievement of inter-economic integration in the Gulf Automatic Exchange Network, the Gulf Common Market, the Electricity Interconnection Authority, the unified smart card of the GCC states, the Customs Union Authority, the Gulf Payments Company, the railway project, and the Customs Information Center.
