At the Arab League summit, Arab leaders overcame their traditional differences and on Wednesday, November 2, adopted a document, the “Algiers Declaration,” which summarizes current concerns and contrasts with previous communiqués sanctioning Arab summits.
From our correspondent in Algiers,
“There were no reservations about the decision,” said Egyptian Ahmed Aboul Gheit, secretary-general of the Arab League, during the final press conference of the Arab League Arabian Summitat the International Conference Center (CIC), west of Algiers.
“A successful summit is that of renewal,” asserted in turn, Ramtane Lamamra, Algerian Foreign Minister. According to Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune, the Algiers summit was a stopover to “strengthen solidarity and unite Arab ranks”.
This summit was attended by 17 heads of state and government. One from the Secretary General of Arab Leaguedespite the absence of the kings of Morocco and Saudi Arabia, Mohammed VI. and Salman ben Abdelaziz al-Saud, and the President of the United Arab Emirates, Mohammed ben Zayed al-Nahyan.
In the statement of November 2, 2022, there is less literature and pious wishes, even if the intentions are more present than the concrete actions. “The most important thing is to have the political will,” declared Ramtane Lamamra, describing the “Declaration of Algiers” as a “measured and consensual” document obtained after hours of negotiations.
“Arab Solutions to Arab Problems”
In the text we clearly mention the crises that are sweeping the Arab world and which the Arab League, bound by its own statutes, is struggling to resolve. First there is Libya, a country that has since been divided into two camps brutal overthrow of Muammar Gaddafi’s regime in 2011. All the leaders who spoke at the Algiers summit had a word or two for Libya, wishing this hydrocarbon-rich country to break the impasse. They support efforts to “end the Libyan crisis through a Libyan-Libyan solution that preserves Libya’s unity and sovereignty.”
The “Declaration of Algiers” addresses the crisis in Syria, a country that has been excluded from the Arab League since 2011 syrian crisis and addressing all consequences” to “ensure the unity and sovereignty of Syria”.
الدورة ال 31 مجامعة الدوocket ع ع الى ب بالجز يومي ا الث ا الف ا الف اenseتح الثالجز BOL ate? I””” #اعلان_الجزائر pic.twitter.com/DtWVXFKZEa
– Arab Summit Algiers 2022 November 2, 2022
The “Algiers Declaration” does not specify the mechanism to be activated to help end a crisis that has assumed international dimensions, with Russia, Turkey, the United States and Iran embroiled in the dispute. In the same document, however, “foreign interference” in the Arab world is denounced. The idea put forward is to find “Arab solutions to Arab problems”.
Restrained attitude to the war in Ukraine
Ahmed Aboul Gheit called for the protection of the “nation state” in the Arab region, which was threatened by “external intervention” and “terrorism and militias”. He also spoke of a new approach to “common Arab security” that takes into account “food, water, health and energy security.”
Egypt and Sudan have asked for “Arab support” in their dispute with Ethiopia Division of the Nile water and the commissioning of the Renaissance Dam.
The consequences of war in Ukraine were mentioned by most Arab leaders, particularly on “food security” in the region. Arab countries like Algeria, Morocco and Egypt are major importers of grain and fertilizers from Russia and Ukraine. This Seeks was underlined by the economists at their meeting in Algiers. It is probably what motivates the Arab countries’ decision to adopt a cautious attitude towards the war in Ukraine and its consequences.
Arab countries emphasize the principles of non-alignment and believe that the common Arab position on the war in Ukraine is based on “renouncing the use of force and supporting the option of peace”. They support “a political solution” to the crisis in Ukraine “in accordance with the principles of the Charter of the United Nations” and “taking into account the security concerns of the parties concerned”.
Behind the scenes at the Algiers Summit, there is a reminder that the international community did not take the same position of denunciation when the United States decided to do soinvade Iraq in 2003. In a message to the Algiers summit, Russian President Vladimir Putin called on Arab leaders to help “establish a multipolar world regime.”
Participate in “Defining the Contours of a New World Order”
If the Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune Proposing the creation of an “Arab economic bloc”, the “Declaration of Algiers” reaffirms the importance of the participation of Arab countries “in defining the contours of the new world order after Covid-19 and the war in Ukraine as a harmonized and united block” and “as a Actor who can contribute effectively and positively with his will, his abilities and his skills in this area”.
In the “Declaration of Algiers” adopted by the Arab League on November 2, 2022, leaders presented “the principles of nonalignment” on the war in Ukraine. © Fayçal Métaoui/RFI
And as if to respond to American criticism of the OPEC+ alliance’s decision to cut oil production, in early October 2022 Arab leaders welcomed and asked to promote what the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries described as a balanced policy and encourage its allies ( OPEC+), “to ensure the stability of world energy markets and the sustainability of investments in this strategic sector, within the framework of an economic approach that ensures the protection of the interests of both producer and consumer countries”.
In addition, the Arab leaders agreed on the need to create a nuclear-weapons-free zone in the Middle East, free of weapons of mass destruction, “in accordance with the agreed benchmarks, and to invite all parties concerned to accede to and implement the NPT Treaty.” of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), which remains the cornerstone of the global system of non-proliferation of nuclear weapons”. A message addressed simultaneously to Iran and Israel.
And in line with Algeria’s wishes, Arab leaders have called for the revival of the Arab Peace Initiative, adopted at the 2002 Beirut Summit, which advocated a two-state solution and “the establishment of a Palestinian state” of the 1967 borders of East Jerusalem as capital,” emphasized the Algerian head of state.
Finally, and in solidarity with Doha following recent criticism leveled against Doha, Arab leaders announce their support for the State of Qatar as it prepares to host Doha FIFA World Cup 2022 and say they have their “full confidence” in his ability to “organize a remarkable edition of this international event”. They condemn “smear campaigns” against this Gulf emirate. Qatar was particularly criticized for “the bad treatment”. guest worker.