Leaders launch 31st Arab Summit

ALGIERS: The Arab Summit kicked off on Tuesday with the attendance of 13 leaders, eight delegation heads and the Arab League chief. Consultant of HH the Amir Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, HH the Crown Prince Sheikh Mishal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, is heading Kuwait’s delegation to the summit. This yr’s summit is themed “Arab reunification”, with the Algeria Declaration anticipated to concentrate on the Palestinian disaster, meals safety and Arab League reforms.

Tunisian President Kais Saied, the previous Arab Summit president, launched the talks by saying in a speech that the Arab world resides beneath “unstable situations”. “This area has been impacted by issues like COVID, warfare, meals safety, organized crime and terror. These crises have disturbed the world order, which wants a “new and unconventional definition,” he mentioned. Throughout its presidency, he mentioned his nation labored to encourage joint efforts amongst the area’s nations and that it could proceed to take action.

The Arab League summit has for many years been a discussion board for strident declarations of assist for the Palestinian trigger. Algeria stays a steadfast supporter of the Palestinians, even mediating a reconciliation deal in October between rival factions Fatah and Hamas. The deal was seen as a public relations coup for Algeria, which has been searching for extra regional clout on the again of its rising standing as a gasoline exporter following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

This week’s summit is one other alternative for President Abdelmadjid Tebboune to push that agenda ahead. He has rolled out the pink carpet for his visitors, together with his Egyptian, Palestinian and Tunisian counterparts Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi, Mahmoud Abbas and Kais Saied respectively, in addition to Qatar’s Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani.

The primary roads of Algiers have been decked out with nationwide flags and large billboards welcoming “brother Arabs”, forward of a dinner hosted by Tebboune. “Algerian overseas coverage has gone on the offensive on the regional, African and Arab ranges,” mentioned Geneva-based professional Hasni Abidi. Individuals within the summit face the problem of formulating a ultimate decision, which must be handed unanimously.

President Vladimir Putin despatched a message saying Russia was dedicated to cooperation with the Arab League to spice up “safety”. Putin referred to as for conflicts to “be resolved on the premise of usually accepted worldwide regulation and a dedication to strict respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of nations”.