The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) General Secretariat is poised to celebrate the 33rd anniversary of the council next Monday. This celebration comes this year to assure that this Council, which was first launched in Abu Dhabi, UAE, on May 24, 1981, was formed by determination, desire of Gulf countries' leaders, out of their faith in its vital role on their countries' future, and the benefits it brings to Gulf people of goodness, prosperity, and pride, General Secretariat said in a press statement. With its leaders' wise guidance and its people's loyalty to their leaderships, the Council had taken important steps towards its goals in accordance to its statute in all areas such as unifying political stances at towards fair issues that GCC countries adopt at international arenas, establishing joint markets, attaining privileges of Gulf citizenship among GCC citizens in receiving the same national treatment in any of the Council's State, added the statement. It also noted the other steps the Council had taken in several fields during the last 33 years such as unifying systems of security, education, health, insurance, retirement, trade, agriculture, industry, investment, stock exchange, real estate, and judiciary. Moreover, the statement pointed out the Council States' keenness on strengthening existing cooperation in security and defense fields through particular MoUs, adding that a treaty was signed among GCC countries regarding joint defense and combating terrorism.