The coordination of security by the GCC member states dates back to the formation of the Council. It was in response to the security challenges and issues which faced the region during the 1970s and early 1980s. Events, including the success of the Iranian revolution in 1979 and its concomitant agenda to export revolution to the region, the outbreak of the Iran-Iraq war in 1980, the involvement of the Gulf region in the framework of the Cold War between the US and the Soviet Union, and the latter's invasion of Afghanistan in 1980 brought about the need for the close security coordination among the Gulf countries. Commissioned by the interior ministers of the GCC member states in the early days of the Council, a team of security experts from the interior ministries was formed, to communicate and coordinate the convention of their first meeting to discuss the requirements and mechanisms of security coordination and cooperation among the member states. The first meeting of interior ministers was held in Riyadh in 1982, marking the real breakthrough of the cooperation, and laid the foundations and the rules. The meeting thrashed out many issues. Firstly, it emphasized on the unity and interdependence of the security of the GCC member states and on the principle of collective security. The final statement of the meeting said that "security of the GCC member states is an indivisible whole. Any aggression toward any member state is an aggression toward all member states. Counter-aggression is a collective responsibility of all member states." The statement further declared that "interference by any party in the internal affairs of a member state is interference in the internal affairs of all member states". Secondly, an agreement was made to sign a comprehensive security agreement among member states. In addition, numerous security committees specialized in various security coordination and cooperation fields emerged from this meeting. Over more than a quarter of a century, such coordination between the GCC member states continued uninterruptedly through periodical (annual) meetings of the interior ministers of the member states, preceded by specialized security committees. Hence, security cooperation witnessed advanced steps at all levels. The events of 9/11 marked a real turning point in the process of countering extremism and terrorism, not only in the Gulf countries, but throughout the world, as Gulf countries came under fierce attack by Al-Qaeda targeting their security and stability. Among these were two major attacks on the ‘economic nerve' of Saudi Arabia; the first took place in Yanbu Industrial City on the Swiss ABB Company for electrical equipment by Mustafa Al-Ansari, an affiliate of Al-Qaeda, who previously fought in Afghanistan then in Somalia. The second took place in Al-Khobar carried out by Turkish Al-Mutairi on the American Halliburton Oil Company and Al-Hizam compound, resulting in the disruption of oil prices. Such attacks led Gulf countries to take strict measures in counter-extremism and terrorism. In 2002, the GCC member-states approved a common and specialized security strategy in counter terrorism. In a document consisting of six elements represented the cornerstones of counter terrorism and carried the title of "Security Strategy to Combat Extremism Associated with Terrorism." In 2004, the 23rd meeting of the interior ministers of the GCC member-states was held in Kuwait, during which the GCC agreement to combat terrorism was signed as a mechanism to activate the "Security Strategy to Combat Extremism Associated with Terrorism." Although the GCC member states signed a comprehensive security agreement in the 1990s that was later updated, the GCC's agreement to combat terrorism was more comprehensive with respect to terrorism issues. It constituted a legal and regulatory framework for unified Gulf and national legislation on counter terrorism. In implementation of the GCC agreement to combat terrorism, and to enhance efforts of the GCC member states, a permanent security committee specialized in counter terrorism was formed in 2006 to which all terrorism-related cases were referred. This committee holds regular annual meetings as a specialized security committee. Unfortunately, the international media deliberately chooses to ignore such effective contributions to the international effort in combating terrorism by the Gulf countries. The late Prince Naif said in one of his speeches: "efforts of the GCC member states have been neglected despite the fact that we are the ones who have worked the most in this area and are the most affected by terrorism". Finally, the GCC is an important factor in regional stability, especially in light of current serious changes facing the region following the "Arab Spring." With many countries having become failed states or on their way to failure. Terrorist acts have escalated, with some countries in the region being used as platforms. Taking advantage of the of the region mired in unrest, terrorist organizations have managed to raise funds and obtain arms. All this has made coordinated security and counter terrorism a necessity for the international community, as terrorism has become a global threat that cannot be fought by a single state. Dr. Ibrahim Al-othaimin is a Middle East affair specialist and security analyst based in Riyadh. He can be contacted at [email protected]
