With considerable differences in a number of files, particularly Syria and Libya, Arab leaders meet today, Tuesday, at a summit hosted by Algeria. This is the first summit in three years.
Algeria has made all the necessary preparations for a distinguished reception for the participants at the summit, which is expected to open its work at 18:00 local time (17:00 GMT), to conclude on Wednesday evening.
While giant banners commented on advertising canvases that welcomed “Arab brothers,” the government buildings and main streets of the capital were decorated with the flags of Arab nations.
The Algerian authorities put this thirty -first summit of the Arab organization under the slogan “Relationship”.
Hosni Abidi, the director of the Geneva-based Center for Studies and Research on the Arab World, commented on this event by stating that “Algerian diplomacy shifted to the offensive stage at the Arab and African levels.”
After years of inactivity on the international stage due to the illness of former President Abdelaziz Bouteflika, Algerian diplomacy has resumed substantial activity since the election of President Abdel Majid Taboun at the end of 2019.
Regarding the conflict in Syria, which remains a contentious issue to this day, especially in light of Damascus’s reinstatement into the Arab League after its membership was suspended at the end of 2011, Abidi stated that “inviting Syria in the current situation involves a great risk.” This is especially true given that Algeria abandoned the issue in collaboration with Damascus after realising the negative effects it would have on the success of its summit.
According to Pierre Boussal, a researcher at the Strategic Research Foundation in France, Algeria and Russia, allies of Damascus, also wanted Syria to rejoin the Arab League. “Damascus was compelled to accept reality. President Bashar al-return Assad’s to the university dressed as the victor was a sham, even though Moscow has already staked money on this outcome of the civil war. But this time, pragmatism won out.
Russia has given up trying to impose its will on the situation. It would have an impact on its relations with Arab nations.
It is significant that the League of Arab States’ most recent summit, which was held in March 2019 in Tunisia and was attended by 22 nations, took place before the Kofid-19 pandemic.
Along with Syria and Libya, the current summit is anticipated to cover a number of other topics, such as Turkish foreign policy in the area, the Yemeni crisis, the Palestinian problem, and others.
Algeria hosted the first Arab conference in three years. “Welcome to the Arab brothers”
About Author
