Gulf Arab states to create regional police force

Secretary General of the Gulf Cooperation Council, Abdul Latif Bin Rashid Al Zayani of Bahrain attends a Gulf Cooperation Council summit in Doha, Qatar, Tuesday, Dec. 9, 2014. (AP Photo/Osama Faisal)

DOHA, Qatar — The six-member Gulf Cooperation Council says it will create a regional police force that will be based out of the United Arab Emirates’ capital of Abu Dhabi.

The creation of the police force, known as GCC-POL, was announced Tuesday at the conclusion of the Gulf bloc’s annual summit in Qatar.

Local media have dubbed it the “Gulf Interpol” and say its aim is to improve cooperation against drug trafficking, money laundering and cyber-crime.

The GCC is comprised of the energy-rich nations of Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain and Oman.

The Arab Gulf countries additionally expressed their political backing for Egypt’s President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi. It marks a change for Qatar, which backed former Islamist President Mohammed Morsi who el-Sissi ousted from power amid widespread protests last year.