The Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf

The Secretariat General and the competent committees of the Gulf Cooperation Council have paid due attention to the importance of arriving at a general framework for cooperation and coordination with regard to population strategies and policies. The GCC is conscious of the strong co-relation between population and development and is desirous of striking a balance in the population structure and composition of the work force so as to ensure homogeneity of the Gulf society and to affirm its Islamic and Arab identity. The GCC states are also desirous of maintaining stability and cohesiveness. These States also seek to increase the level of economic participation of their citizens. This document (“The General Framework of the Population Strategy for the GCC Countries”) was agreed upon after conducting research and holding discussions within the framework of the GCC. The Ministerial Committee for Planning and Development commissioned the committees subordinated to it to prepare this framework. The committee, which was composed of Ministerial agencies, discussed the document in light of comments and proposals received from the planning institutions and governments of the member countries of the GCC. In April 1998, the Ministerial Committee on Planning and Development reviewed this document and approved it and recommended the Ministerial Council to present it to the Supreme Council. In its 76th session (June 1998), the Ministerial Council recommended the ratification of the document. Subsequently, the Supreme Council ratified the document in its 19th session held in Abu Dhabi on 18-20 Sha’abaan 1419 AH corresponding to 7th 9th December 1998. The document outlines the goals, which the GCC countries shall strive to pursue with regard to population. It also contains policies and aims related to achieving the rate of population growth commensurate with development aspirations. The document provides for attaining an appropriate population structure through training and development of human resources and the national cadre. The document calls for arriving at an appropriate population structure by means of efficient organization of recruitment of foreign workers and by adopting policies to control urban development and internal migration. The Secretariat General, while publishing this document, is confident that the strategy will strengthen the existing cooperation between the GCC States in the field of population and national labor. This is because while formulating their population policies the member States shall incorporate the principles, strategic goals and instructions laid down in this strategy thereby bringing about coordination and approximation of policies between them. In course of implementing these policies, the member States shall formulate specific programs in light of the situation of their population. Based on this strategy it will be possible to evaluate the extent to which the desired goals may have been achieved. The results of these programs shall be discussed in the meetings which, are to be held regularly under the auspices of the Ministerial Committee on for Planning and Development. Allah is the Granter of all success...