Al-Ateyah is the secretary general for the GCC

Leaders of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) member states have agreed the appointment of the Qatari minister Abdul Rahman al- Ateyah as the council's secretary genera. Al-Ateyah ( 51 year old) is to replace Jamil al-Husjeilan for a three- year term of office starting as from April the date when the second term of office for Sheikh Hujeilan expires.

Al-Ateyah who was born in Doha in 1950 joined the Qatari foreign ministry in 1972 and he occupied several diplomatic posts in several Arab and foreign states and at international organizations. He was appointed as a secretary for the foreign ministry in January 1998 and stayed in that post until he was appointed as a minister of state in December 2000.

Al-Ateyah has a degree in political sciences and geography from the US Miami university. Al-Ateyah will be the fourth secretary general for the GCC since its foundation in 1981. He is married and has five children.

Worthy mentioning that Abdullah Yaqoub Beshara ( from Kuwait) was the first GCC secretary general and then came Sheikh Fahem al-Qasimi ( from the United Arab Emirates) and last came Sheikh Jamil al-Hujeilan.