Secretary-General of the Arab league Ahmed Aboul Gheit warned of the dangerous situation in Ukraine and the acceleration of conflict.
During his speech at the 158th ordinary session of the Arab League Council at the ministerial level, which is being held in Cairo on Tuesday, Aboul Gheit said that every country finds itself in the midst of these crises and is forced to deal with its consequences.
The Arab world “is not far from these crises and their dangers,” he said. “Our Arab countries are not immune from severe repercussions that arose mainly from the war in Ukraine, and before that the Corona crisis and the resulting economic slowdown and turmoil in markets and supply chains globally,” he said.
Aboul Gheit added: “These crises have revealed, among other things, the interconnection of issues and problems in a continuum.. Energy, food security and climate change, for example, are inextricably linked. These are issues related to global security, relations between major powers, conflict or agreement,” he said.
He said: “We in the Arab region look at the changes and developments taking place on the international arena from the main angle of Arab interests, how to protect, promote and defend them.
He explained that the visit of the ministerial group to the parties to the crisis, as well as the reception of Representatives at the highest level of both parties at the general secretariat of the league to listen to their views, is an important indication of the depth of Arab coordination towards one of the most serious challenges at the international level, and a signal of the urgent need to continue such coordination in the next phase.”
Aboul Gheit stressed the need for global crises not to overshadow the flaming crises in the region, which are still far from a political solution.
“The situation in Syria continues to suffer increasing stalemate against the backdrop of escalating international polarization, with the fragility of the security situation and a serious deterioration in the economic and social conditions throughout the country,” he said.
In Yemen, despite the truce, the gap between the positions of the parties is still wide, and external interference increases the hardening of positions and contributes to prolonging this conflict, which is paid for by the Yemeni people,” he pointed.
Aboul Gheit added: “In Libya, we are observing a further departure from the logic of settlement and compromise solutions, and a further division between the parties in a way that threatens to ignite the conflict, as we have all recently observed”.
Aboul Gheit stressed that a political solution remains the only possible option to achieve stability, end the enormous suffering of peoples and stop the bleeding of blood and losses incurred by countries over the past years.
The secretary-general addressed the situation in Iraq, saying that the Arab public opinion is following what is happening in this important country with great concern،
He pointed to the dangers of continuing the political crisis, calling on all political forces and components in Iraq to resort to political dialogue to address differences, stay away from violence or the threat of it, and keep Iraq’s problems inside Iraq, “he said.
He warned that freezing the political track to resolve the Palestinian issue is a crime against the future, pointing out that it is a disaster against the future of all peoples in this region, who aspire to security and prosperity.
He said that a just and lasting solution to the Palestinian issue, by ending the occupation and establishing an independent Palestinian state on the borders of 4 June 1967, remains the most important key to the long-term stability of this region.
He pointed out that ignoring this issue does not mean its disappearance, as it is a living Arab issue that has enjoyed Arab and even international consensus for decades. It will remain a key issue for the Arab League until it finds its way to a solution in accordance with the decisions of international legitimacy and international law,” he said.
Aboul Gheit concluded: “The Arab world, despite its crises and challenges, we are still able to respond to the challenges, as a solid and monolithic regional bloc, and we look forward with confidence to the next summit in Algeria next November.”
He expressed the hope that this summit will be an important milestone in the history of Joint Arab action, and that it will be a reason for healing and unity and an authentic expression of public opinion in the Arab world that wants to see its leaders reunited and their word united.
