Strategic Shifts in the GCC: Institutional Pathways Toward Economic Integration
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.55578/jedip.2509.009Keywords:
Multilateralism, Transnational Interactions, Economic Convergence, Mutual Interdependence, GCCAbstract
This study investigates how strategic priorities within the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) have evolved toward deeper economic integration. Triggered by Britain’s withdrawal from the Persian Gulf and the emergence of sovereign Arab states, the GCC was formed to manage shared regional interests through cooperative mechanisms. The research addresses the question: How has the GCC transitioned from basic coordination to institutionalized economic convergence? Using a multi-method approach descriptive, causal-explanatory, structural, procedural, and agent-based the study analyzes institutional transformations across member states. Findings reveal a shift from initial coordination to transnational economic interdependence, positioning the GCC as a maturing platform for regional integration. The study contributes to integration theory by mapping the institutional logic behind the Council’s evolving strategies.
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