Gobran Mohamed

CAIRO: The first preparatory meeting for the forthcoming Arab Summit kicked off on Wednesday at the International Conference Center west of Algiers.

The preparatory session was held as a prelude to the 31st Arab summit, to be hosted by Algeria on Nov. 1-2.

The Palestinian crisis is expected to top the summit agenda, also covering relations with Africa and Europe at various levels. 

Algerian officials have announced the completion of arrangements for the event.

The country’s official news agency, APS, published a video on the preparations, describing the event as “the most important in the history of the Arab summits.”

It follows the success of Algeria’s effort to gather the Palestinian factions to sign a reconciliation agreement on Oct. 13.

Media outlets launched a major promotion campaign for Algeria’s preparation for the Arab meeting under the slogan, “Uniting the Arab League,” raised by Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune.

The campaign highlighted the president’s efforts to persuade Arab leaders, including kings and heads of state, to take part in the summit, during visits he made to many Arab capitals over the past months.

Prime Minister Aymen Benabderrahmane said on Saturday that the Arab meeting would be an occasion “to reaffirm support for the Palestinian cause, as a central Arab cause, by emphasizing the common Arab position represented in the Arab Peace Initiative, which is the framework that guarantees the protection of the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people.”

Algeria took the presidency of the Council of the League of Arab States from Tunisia.

Ennadir Larbaoui, Algeria’s permanent representative at the UN, stressed the close relationship that unites Algeria and Arab countries at all levels.

He said that deliberations for the Algiers summit started three years after the last summit that was held in Tunisia in 2019.

Larbaoui commended the efforts made by the general secretariat of the Arab League to hold the summit amid growing global issues and a state of acute polarization.

In his speech during the preparatory meeting, he said that the challenge is “great” and that it requires coordinating political, diplomatic and collective efforts among Arab countries to overcome.

He said that the Palestinian issue topped the list of Arab priorities, praising in this context the recent agreement between the Palestinian factions, which came under the auspices of Algeria.

Larbaoui said: “We want it to be a consensual Arab summit that reflects the solidarity of the Arab world. We must benefit from the lessons of the past and face the challenges of the present while building bridges of cooperation.”

Mohamed Ben Youssef, Tunisia’s permanent representative at the Arab League, said that the positive atmosphere that resulted from the meetings cemented everyone’s conviction in Arab solidarity and “unification of attitudes toward the challenges facing our countries.”

He added that following the Tunis summit three years ago, “we have sought to increase joint Arab action and strengthen solidarity in this delicate situation marked by instability and the growing phenomenon of terrorism, cross-border organized crime, the COVID-19 pandemic and the Russian-Ukrainian crisis.” 

“The tension in the Arab region and the continuation of armed conflicts necessitate that we intensify efforts to contain crises and search for political solutions to conflicts and divisions that enhance security, and immunize our societies from external interference,” he added.

Ben Youssef said that Tunisia was keen to contribute to finding a solution to the Libyan crisis within the framework of a “Libyan-Libyan agreement.”

He added that the region is reeling from the impacts of severe crises and rapid transformations that have further complicated the situation, threatening Arab national security and the stability of the entire region, requiring solidarity and cooperation to solve and achieve prosperity.

Hossam Zaki, Arab League’s assistant secretary-general, stressed the importance of the summit in Algeria at a time when crises have worsened.

He praised Algeria’s efforts to make the summit paperless, noting that it was a step in the right direction in line with the efforts of other organizations.