Gulf Cooperation Council
Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf
Updated 7 November 2026
Six Gulf Arab monarchies coordinating economic, political and defence policy, with a customs union, a joint military command framework and deep intra-Gulf mobility.
Key facts
- Founded
- 1981
- Headquarters
- Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
- Members
- 6 states
- Chair
- Bahrain
- Secretary-General
- Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwisince February 2023
- Last summit
- 28 April 2026Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
- The UAE
- Founding member, 1981
- UAE trade with members (2025)
- $56.5 billion