Kuwait City: As attention shifts to the opening session of the 45th Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Summit in Kuwait on Sunday, it is notable that seven individuals have held the position of Secretary-General since the council's establishment in 1981. Kuwaiti Abdullah Bishara served as Secretary-General from 1981 to 1993, followed by UAE's Fahim Al-Qasimi (1993-1996), Saudi Jamil Al-Hejailan (1996-2002), Qatar's Abdulrahman Al-Attiyah (2002-2011), Bahrain's Abdullatif Al-Zayani (2011-2020), Kuwaiti Nayef Al-Hajraf (2020-2023), and the current Secretary-General is Kuwaiti Jassem Al-Budaiwi, who took office in 2023. According to Kuwait News Agency, the GCC was established based on a proposal by the late Amir of Kuwait, Sheikh Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah. The council seeks to achieve coordination, integration, and cooperation among its member states across various fields. Its main objectives include promoting unity and strengthening ties, particularly in the economic, financial, social, health, and media se ctors. Headquartered in Riyadh, the GCC is a regional organization focused on political, economic, military, and security cooperation among its six member states: Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, the UAE, Qatar, Bahrain, and Oman.
