OAPEC Establishment

Established by an agreement amongst Arab countries which rely on the export of petroleum, the Organization of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries (OAPEC) is a regional inter-governmental organization concerned with the development of the petroleum industry by fostering cooperation among its members.  OAPEC contributes to the effective use of the resources of member countries through sponsoring joint ventures.  The Organization is guided by the belief in the importance of building an integrated petroleum industry as a cornerstone for future economic integration amongst Arab countries. 
On January 9, 1968, Kuwait, Libya and Saudi Arabia signed in Beirut an agreement establishing OAPEC.  The three founding members agreed that the Organization would be located in the State of Kuwait.
By 1982 the membership of the Organization has risen to eleven Arab oil exporting countries:  Algeria (1970), Bahrain (1970), Egypt (1973), Iraq (1972), Kuwait (1968), Libya (1968), Qatar (1970), Saudi Arabia (1968), Syria (1972), Tunisia (1982) and United Arab Emirates (1970).  In 1986, Tunisia submitted a request for withdrawal.  The Ministerial Council deliberated the request and it was agreed to suspend Tunisia’s rights and obligations in OAPEC, until such a time that Tunisia chooses to reactivate its membership. 

OAPEC Structure 
The Organization carries out its functions and responsibilities through the following four organs: 

   
1. The Council of Ministers
The Council is the supreme authority of the Organization, responsible for drawing up its general policy, directing its activity, and laying down the rules governing it.
The Council is concerned with the following:
-      Deciding on applications for membership and approving invitations to petroleum exporting countries to attend its meetings.
-     Adopting resolutions, making recommendations, and advising on matters related to the Organization’s general policy or its position or the position of a particular member or members vis-à-vis specific issues.  
-     Approving draft agreements reached by the Organization.
-      Issuing the necessary regulations and amendments thereto.
-     Approving the draft annual budgets of the General Secretariat and the Judicial Tribunal, and ratifying the end-of-year accounts.
-     Appointing the Secretary General and Assistant Secretaries.

2. The Executive Bureau
The Executive Bureau assists the Ministerial Council in supervising the Organization’s affairs and has the following competencies:   
-     Preparing the Council’s agenda. 
-     Approving and when necessary amending the regulations applicable to the staff of the General Secretariat.
-     Reviewing the Organization’s draft annual budget as prepared by the Secretary General and submitting it to the Council for approval.
-     Submitting suggestions and recommendations to the Council on matters related to articles of the Agreement and the execution of the Organization’s activities.   
The Executive Bureau is composed of one representative from each of the member countries.  The chairmanship rotates annually in the order followed by the Ministerial Council. 

3. General Secretariat 
The General Secretariat plans, administers and executes the organization’s activities in accordance with the objectives stated in the Agreement establishing OAPEC and with the resolutions and directives of the Ministerial Council.  The Secretariat is headed by the Secretary General who is also the official spokesman and legal representative of the Organization and is accountable to the Council.  The Secretary General, as stipulated in the Agreement, may be aided by a number of Assistant Secretaries. The Secretary General directs the Secretariat and supervises all aspects of its activities.  
The General Secretariat is composed of the following:  
1. The Secretary General’s Office
2. The Arab Center for Energy Studies:
a) The Technical Affairs Department  
b) The Economics Department
3. The Information and Library Department
4. Finance and Administrative Affairs Department 

 
4. Judicial Tribunal  
The Judicial Tribunal is the fourth OAPEC organ created under the Agreement.  It was established by a special Protocol that was signed in Kuwait on May 9, 1978.  The Protocol was attached to the Organization’s Agreement and came into effect on April 20, 1980.  Judges of the Tribunal were first elected on May 6, 1981.
The protocol stipulated that “the Tribunal shall consist of an uneven number of judges of Arab citizenship, who shall not be less than seven and not more than eleven.