Threats Facing Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) - Assignment Example

The unified economic agreement between the countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council was signed on November 11, 1981 in Abu Dhabi. These countries are often referred to as The GCC States. This area has some of the fastest growing economies in the world, mostly due to a boom in oil and natural gas revenues coupled with a building and investment boom backed by decades of saved petroleum revenues. In an effort to build a tax base and economic foundation before the reserves run out, the UAE's investment arms, including Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, retain over $900 billion in assets.

Other regional funds also have several hundred billion dollars. The region is also an emerging hotspot for events, including the 2006 Asian Games in Doha, Qatar. Doha also submitted an unsuccessful application for the 2016 Summer Olympic Games. However, Qatar was later chosen to host the 2022 FIFA World Cup. In 2006, its GDP (nominal) was $717.8 billion (IMF April 2007), led by spectacular growth in United Arab Emirates and Qatar. In 2007, its GDP (nominal) was $1,022.62 billion (IMF April 2008).

IMF predicts its GDP to reach $1,112.076 billion at end of 2008 and $1,210.112 billion at end of 2009. . Recovery plans have been criticized for crowding out the private sector, failing to set clear priorities for growth, failing to restore weak consumer and investor confidence, and undermining long-term stability. Threats being faced by GCC countries are numerous. These threats are both internal and external. Given the vast possession of natural resources like Oil and Gas, many internal and external forces are at work against these countries.

Monarchs rule all the GCC countries, although all of them have provided more or less high degree of social welfare in their states there is a growing demand by public for democracy and basic human rights first being freedom of speech. (Web- The GCC in a turbulent world ) GCC states are facing several domestic challenges headed by demographic issues, which are to blame for political and economic problems as well as others associated with security and linked to the presence of a large proportion of foreign workers on GCC soil.

The issues include aggravation of the “growing fundamentalist Threat, effects of instability in Iraq, fallout of Iranian nuclear issue, over all security of Gulf, US and EU interests in the GCC area, presence of foreign troops in the area, US strategy in the area to “prevent any force from imposing its hegemony on the GCC area”, security of oil shipments, presence of US forces in consolidating the GCC regimes, Iranian role to undermining Iraq’s stability and Iranian nuclear issue presenting a serious challenge to the stability of the area.

GCC countries remain unstable due to impact of host of issues on the region directly. Major challenges being security, economy and demography. These countries face internal conflicts with each other like GCC versus Iran and Iraq.