Arab Foreign Ministers agree on the files of the Algiers Summit

The meetings of the Arab Ministers for Foreign Affairs concluded on Sunday evening in Algeria by consensus on the final agenda of the Arab summit, to be held on 1 and 2 November.

Algerian Foreign Minister Ramtan Lamamra said in a brief statement to reporters following the end of Saturday’s meetings that “the meetings allowed for consensual results after rich and in-depth consultations.”

For his part, Hossam Zaki, Assistant Secretary-General of the League of Arab States, told reporters that “the Arab Foreign Ministers have agreed on all agenda items to be submitted to the leaders” without further details.

In turn, Libya’s Minister for Foreign Affairs, Najla al-Mangash, said in statements to reporters that “her country’s crisis has been placed on the agenda by calling for the acceleration of elections and the end of transitions.”

The balanced Algerian presidency had been crucial in accommodating the differences raised.

The delegate of Algeria to the Arab League, Hamid Shabrah, stated earlier that the agenda of the forthcoming Arab summit had included all Arab crises, in particular Palestine, along with 24 items on economic and social issues.

Two meetings of Arab Foreign Ministers were held on Saturday, the first in the morning, during which Algeria received the presidency from Tunisia and the second in the evening, to discuss the draft agenda in closed meetings.

The Algerian Foreign Minister said at the opening of the meetings: “We hope that we can all work to build a broader consensus that will allow for the reunification and unification of all Arab countries and their efforts to resolve the acute crises in our Arab region, which have made it an arena of conflict among many foreign powers.”

He added to Lamamra that “the difficult conditions experienced by the brothers in Libya, Syria, Yemen and Somalia, as well as in the Sudan and Lebanon, must stop us to realize the efforts we have missed.”

“Algeria relies heavily on the contribution of all to the Arab Summit to bring about new launches for joint Arab action, following an approach that goes beyond traditional approaches to respond to the requirements of the present.”

The Arab leaders begin arriving in Algeria on Tuesday evening and continue until Wednesday.

15 Arab leaders are expected to participate in the Algiers Summit, according to previous statements by Arab League Assistant Secretary-General Hossam Zaki.