Al-Mushaan chairs meeting of Arab Transport Ministers' Executive Office in Alexandria
Press coverage 3 newspapers covered this event: Al-Rai · Sarmad · Kuwait News →
Noura Al-Mushaan chairs the meeting of the Executive Office of Arab Transport Ministers in Alexandria to discuss geopolitical challenges and Arab cooperation.
Translated by Qiyas from الجريدة — Original source
Minister of Public Works Dr. Noura Al-Mashaan chaired the Kuwait delegation participating in the 75th session of the Executive Office of the Arab Ministers of Transport, which launched today, Monday, at the headquarters of the Arab Academy for Science, Technology and Maritime Transport in Alexandria, under the presidency of Egypt and with the attendance of transport ministers and representatives of Arab member states in the Executive Office and specialized Arab organizations.
The Egyptian Minister of Transport and Chairman of the Executive Office, General Kamal al-Wazir, expressed his gratitude in his opening speech today, Monday, to Kuwait’s Minister of Public Works and Chair of the current session of the Arab Ministers of Transport, Dr. Noura Al-Mashaan.
The minister stated that emerging geopolitical risks arising from conflicts and challenges facing the region have created further complexities in transport movement and management, disrupting supply chains worldwide.
In this regard, he pointed to the repercussions of the Russian-Ukrainian war, the Israeli aggression on Gaza that has claimed 70,000 martyrs and left more than 170,000 injured, the closure of the Strait of Hormuz due to the Iranian war, and the Houthi aggression against the territory of the fraternal Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, as well as their threats to navigation in the Bab al-Mandab Strait.
He added that this has led to instability in global supply chains, with major shipping lines adopting alternative routes that have increased voyage duration, raised operational costs, caused port congestion, delayed cargo delivery, and increased harmful carbon emissions.
The minister emphasized that these challenges require collective effort, both locally and internationally, to overcome unconventional circumstances that have repercussions on human life and all aspects of economic and social life, including rising living costs not only in the region but also across the world’s countries and the international economy as a whole.
He said, “Here we are today, under these circumstances, working to enhance cooperation and interconnection among our peoples and countries to mitigate their effects. Our meeting today serves to strengthen our distinguished relations and reaffirm our shared will to enhance Arab cooperation and coordination in various transport fields, building on our commonalities and mutual interests to achieve our peoples’ aspirations for greater growth and progress, given the vital importance of transport across all its sectors to the economic and social development of our countries.”
He noted that regional and international developments have proven that addressing these challenges requires strengthening Arab coordination, exchanging information and expertise, enhancing the readiness of ports and transport partnerships, and studying available operational alternatives, while supporting efforts to ensure the safety of maritime navigation and freedom of safe passage in accordance with international law.
He clarified that the Executive Office’s agenda for this session includes several important topics reflecting a collective commitment to enhancing Arab economic and logistical solidarity, foremost among them supporting the Palestinian economy, implementing the strategic plan for sectoral development in Al-Quds Al-Sharif (Jerusalem), and discussing Arab agreements regulating the transport of passengers and goods via land routes between Arab countries.
He added that the agenda also includes important items related to the development of the electronic portal for land transport, enhancing road safety, developing rail transport, digital transformation in the transport sector, energy transition, and reducing carbon emissions. In addition, it covers a draft agreement to regulate procedures for the maritime transport of passengers and goods among Arab countries, the development of river transport in Sudan, the development of its logistics zones, and the preparation of a comprehensive Arab agreement for maritime cooperation, as well as strengthening maritime and logistics diplomacy to support the resilience of shipping routes and supply chains, and to bolster the Arab geopolitical standing.
