In Pictures: Milestones from the past GCC summits

1981: The founding summit of the Gulf Cooperation Council was held in Abu Dhabi on May 7, 1981, hosted by Shaikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan, President of the UAE and Ruler of Abu Dhabi. The inaugural GCC Summit hosted by Shaikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan saw the birth of the GCC as a regional entity that aimed at enhancing cooperation and strengthening ties among the member states. The leaders set economic integration and social cohesion as their ultimate goals. The Abu Dhabi Declaration, maintained that the creation of the Council was dictated by historical, social, cultural, economic, political and strategic imperatives.

1987 (Riyadh, December 26-29) The leaders approved a security strategy and sanctioned the defence ministers’ recommendations on military cooperation. They agreed to set up a GCC Common Market, by standardising customs tariffs.

1990 (Qatar, December 22-24) Summit overshadowed by Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait.

1992 (Abu Dhabi, December 21-23) The summit confirmed its full backing of the UAE in its pursuance through peaceful means of regaining sovereignty over its islands of Abu Mousa and Greater and Lesser Tunbs occupied by Iran. Shaikh Fahim Bin Sultan Al Qasimi was appointed Secretary General in succession to Abdullah Yaqoub Bishara.

1998 (Abu Dhabi, December 7-9) The council has granted freedom of movement within the GCC countries to their citizens and has issued a number of resolutions to facilitate the flow of trade and commodities.

2003 (Kuwait, December 21-22) The Council Expressed their strong condemnation over the attacks on housing complexes in Riyadh, and praised the efforts of Saudi security forces in thwarting terror attacks in Makkah.

2004 (Manama, December 20 – 21) The summit was named the ‘Zayed Summit’, paying tribute to UAE’s president. The leaders also reviewed a report on the smart card project, which would act as a national identity for GCC citizens

2007 (Doha December 3-4) The council announced the launch of the Gulf Common Market, with effect from January 1, 2008. The leaders came up with a historic decision stating that all GCC nationals will be treated equally in terms of rights to travel, employment and education as well as economic, financial and investment opportunities in all the member countries on a par with the nationals of each country

2009 (Kuwait, December 14-15) The summit also supported Saudi Arabia in its fight against Yemen’s Al Houthi group and called on Tehran to respond to the GCC’s repeated calls to solve peacefully the issues of the three UAE islands occupied by Iran.

2010 (Abu Dhabi, December 6) The summit urged Iran to respond to international efforts to defuse a crisis over its nuclear programme.

GCC countries flags in Abu Dhabi for the GCC summit.

2011 (Riyadh, December 2011) The GCC leaders welcomed a proposal by then Saudi king Abdullah bin abdulaziz for the grouping to shift from the phase of cooperation to the phase of union. They also agreed to endorse the GCC citizens’ national ID cards as an identification document in all the six member countries.

2012 (Manama, December 24) UAE's Vice President and Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai Sheikh Mohammed is received by Bahraini Prime Minister Prince Khalifa upon his arrival for the GCC summit, in Sakhir Airport, south of Manama. The GCC leaders agreed on proposed establishment of a joint military command tasked with coordination among and planning for the GCC nations’ ground, air and navy troops.

2013 (Kuwait City, December 10) The council’s leaders endorsed the creation of the unified GCC military command and tasked the Joint Defence Council to take the steps deemed necessary to activate the command.

2014 (Doha, December 9) The GCC leaders endorsed a recommendation by the council’s interior ministers to set a Gulf police agency based in Abu Dhabi. The summiteers also endorsed a GCC human rights declaration.

2015 (Riyadh, December 9) The summit saw an agreement on continued efforts to move from the phase of cooperation to that of union among the council’s member countries and adopting Saudi King Salman’s vision to strengthen integration among them.

2016 (Manama, December 6) The leaders discussed the Yemeni and Syrian crises as well as Iran’s meddling in affairs of the Gulf region. The British prime minister Theresa May attended the summit, becoming the first British premier to show up at such a gathering.

2017 (Kuwait City, December 5) The leaders emphasized the importance of keeping the legal, political and diplomatic status of Jerusalem unchanged and warned against repercussions of doing the opposite. The warning came as Washington recognised Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, reversing decades-long US policy on the status of the holy city. The leaders also discussed anti-terror efforts. The summit was overshadowed by the Qatar crisis.

2018 (Riyadh, December 9) The GCC leaders reiterated keeping the council to face regional challenges and pledged to remove all obstacles to the creation of the common Gulf market.

2019 (Riyadh, December 10). The final declaration of the summit stressed the importance of safeguarding maritime navigation in the Gulf against threats. The leaders also underlined moves to achieve economic unity among the GCC countries.