- Sputnik International, 1920
World
Get the latest news from around the world, live coverage, off-beat stories, features and analysis.

From Syria to Sudan: What is the Arab League Summit’s Agenda?

© AFP 2023 / -Delegates attend the Arab Foreign Ministers Preparatory Meeting ahead of the 32nd Arab League Summit in Jeddah on May 17, 2023
Delegates attend the Arab Foreign Ministers Preparatory Meeting ahead of the 32nd Arab League Summit in Jeddah on May 17, 2023 - Sputnik International, 1920, 19.05.2023
Subscribe
On Thursday, Syrian President Bashar Assad arrived in Saudi Arabia to take part in the gathering, which will also be attended by the leaders of Oman, Mauritania, Tunisia, Egypt, Bahrain, Lebanon, Palestinian Authority and Yemen.
The 32nd Arab League summit kicks off in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia on Friday, in an event that will focus on an array of pressing issues related to Syria and the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.

Also topping the agenda will be the settlement of crises in Libya, Sudan and Yemen, as well as the strengthening of economic ties and the coordination of efforts to combat terrorism.

Syria’s return to the Arab League is almost certain to become a priority topic of the summit, which will be attended by Syrian President Bashar Assad for the first time in more than a decade.
A Syrian national flag waves as vehicles move slowly on a bridge during rush hour, in Damascus, Syria, Sunday, Feb. 28, 2016 - Sputnik International, 1920, 11.05.2023
World
Who is Unhappy About Syria's Return to the Arab League?
The pan-Arab bloc suspended Damascus in November 2011 over a civil war in Syria, but earlier this month, the Arab League welcomed the country back.
Syrian media reported that President Assad is due to meet “a number of leaders in bilateral meetings” at the Jeddah summit.
Participants are also expected to prioritize the discussion of the latest escalation in Gaza, where the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) launched Operation Shield and Arrow on May 9.
The IDF units attacked positions of the radical group Islamic Jihad in response to the previous massive shelling of the Jewish state. On May 13, Israel and the Palestinian factions based in Gaza agreed on a ceasefire in a decision that was mediated by Cairo.
IDF Soldiers in Nablus during operation Defense Shield  - Sputnik International, 1920, 14.05.2023
World
Netanyahu Claims Israel Destroyed Entire Islamic Jihad Command in Gaza Strip
Shortly after, Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry said that the ongoing "Israeli aggression" against the Palestinians threatens regional security, while his Jordanian counterpart Ayman al-Safadi called for resuming “serious and comprehensive negotiations" on the Palestinian dossier.

Separately, the Jeddah summit will discuss ways to tackle the standoff in Sudan, where more than 600 people died and 5,000 more were injured in clashes between the Sudanese military and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) paramilitary group.

Importantly, the 2023 Arab League summit comes amid the normalization of relations between Saudi Arabia and Iran, which agreed to restore ties on March 10, 2023, something that experts say added significantly to Syria returning to the pan-Arab body.
Currently, the Arab League includes 22 member states, including Algeria, Bahrain, Comoros, Djibouti, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Oman, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, the United Arab Emirates, and Yemen.
Newsfeed
0
To participate in the discussion
log in or register
loader
Chats
Заголовок открываемого материала