Baghdad Prepares to Host the Arab Summit
Attention is focused on Iraq’s capital, Baghdad, which will host the 34th session of the Arab Summit tomorrow, Saturday, in an atmosphere fraught with crises and significant changes on both the Arab and regional fronts.
Although the level of participation from Arab presidents, kings, and princes in the Baghdad Summit—the fourth of its kind in Iraq’s history—remains unclear, the Iraqi Foreign Ministry indicates that participation will be “qualitative and intensive, with exceptional decisions.”
Several heads of Arab delegations are expected to begin arriving in Baghdad today, Friday, to partake in the Arab Summit.
The Palestinian issue, the Arab-Israeli conflict, and crises affecting Arab nations will be among the key topics discussed by the Arab leaders. Additionally, Iraqi initiatives will include establishing Arab centers for countering terrorism, drug trafficking, and national crime, as well as a security coordination room and a cooperation fund for reconstruction and addressing the aftermath of crises.
Iraqi President Abdul Latif Jamal Rashid informed the official media delegation from the Arab League that Baghdad’s hosting of the summit stems from its pivotal role and ongoing efforts to solidify joint action to confront the challenges facing the region, enhance cooperation and coordination among Arab nations, and uphold the interests of our peoples, meeting their aspirations for development, prosperity, and peace.
Rashid further noted that the Baghdad Summit will address vital issues concerning the region’s peoples and endeavor to reach decisions that contribute to achieving peace and stability.
Ahmed Aboul Gheit, the Secretary-General of the Arab League, expressed hope in press statements that the Baghdad Summit will yield “a unified message calling for an immediate halt to the genocide and putting an end to the plans of right-wing extremists in the Israeli occupation government, which has proven to know neither end nor goal other than the continuation of violence and tension, not only in Palestine but also in Syria and Lebanon.”
He emphasized that “our message must be united, and our vision for our common issues must be cohesive. We should always start from enhancing Arab national security in its comprehensive sense, as the crises in Sudan, Yemen, Somalia, and Libya affect collective Arab security and threaten the region’s stability.”
Hisham Al-Alewi, Deputy Foreign Minister of Iraq, clarified that the country aims to “capitalize on the opportunity of hosting the summit in Baghdad to highlight the positive developments that have taken place in Iraq over the past few years and to give our guests a chance to explore the cultural, historical, and religious landmarks present in Baghdad.”
Al-Alewi stated in press remarks that the government is striving to “encourage increased Arab investments, and Iraq is keen to attract more investments to develop various sectors, including renewable energy, agriculture, industry, tourism, and the financial and banking sectors, in line with the government’s priorities, which reflect on providing job opportunities for youth.”
Bassem Al-Awadi, the official spokesperson for the Iraqi government, noted in a press statement that “there is representation from all Arab countries at the Baghdad Summit, in addition to the presence of the Secretary-General of the United Nations, the Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council, the European Union, the African Union, and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, as well as the Prime Minister of Spain.”
He mentioned that the Iraqi government has granted licenses for the participation of over 300 Iraqi journalists and 250 journalists and media professionals from abroad, along with 20 organizations and unions affiliated with the Arab League, in addition to organizing wide celebratory activities, asserting that “Baghdad is fully prepared with all its institutions to welcome the Arab delegations at the Baghdad Summit.”
The Iraqi government hopes that the Arab Summit will yield results to address the situations in Gaza and work towards its reconstruction, end the conflicts in Yemen, Sudan, Somalia, and Libya, support stability in Syria, aid ongoing negotiations between Tehran and Washington, promote economic relations, support joint investment projects, and confront international challenges.
