The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz and other leaders and heads of delegations of Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states concluded the meetings of 32nd session of the GCC Supreme Council at Dir’iya Palace in Riyadh yesterday. Afterwards, GCC Secretary General Dr. Abdullatif bin Rashid Al-Zayani read a final statement, referred to as the Riyadh Declaration.

The document welcomed the proposal of King Abdullah, made during his opening speech, to form a GCC Union. It called for the highest degree of economic integration between GCC countries, encompassing a customs union, monetary union and common market. It also advocated the deepening of defense and security cooperation and the activation of GCC diplomacy to serve national, Arab and Islamic causes at the international level.

The Declaration noted that the process of development and comprehensive reform must be accelerated in each GCC state, in order to achieve greater participation for citizens, while maintaining security, stability, and social welfare. Furthermore, national unity must be consolidated by ensuring the equality of all men and women and confronting foreign attempts to create sectarian division.

Finally, the statement called for the greater integration of GCC youths into society by intensifying communication and cooperation through the employment of educational, media, cultural, sports and scouting activities.

The summit was attended by Bahraini King Hamad bin Isa Al-Khalifa; Kuwaiti Emir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah; Qatari Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani UAE Vice President Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al-Maktoum; Oman’s Sultan Qaboos bin Saeed; and many other senior GCC officials.