Arab-African Partnership Committee Discusses in Cairo Strengthening Cooperation and Preparing for the Summit Between the Two Sides
Cairo, Aug 5 (KUNA) – The 21st meeting of the Arab-African Partnership Coordination Committee at the senior officials level began today, Wednesday, to discuss preparations for the fifth Arab-African Summit, scheduled to be held in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and to review files of joint cooperation across all fields.
Qahtan Al-Janabi, Iraq’s Permanent Representative to the Arab League and its Ambassador to Cairo, who chaired the meeting, stated that the Arab-African partnership represents a solid model of cooperation between the two sides, calling for its development to keep pace with current challenges and enhance the common interests of Arab and African countries. He added that the meeting coincides with the 50th anniversary of the launch of the Arab-African partnership, emphasizing the importance of continuing its development in coordination with the African Union, strengthening political, economic, and cultural cooperation, and supporting issues of mutual concern.
He expressed hope that the meeting’s work would contribute to advancing the implementation of the decisions of the (Malabo) Summit and accelerating preparations for the fifth Arab-African Summit, thereby giving the partnership new momentum and enhancing cooperation prospects between the two sides.
For his part, Welly Nyamitwe, head of the African side at the meeting and representative of the Republic of Burundi, said that the Arab-African partnership, nearly 50 years after its establishment, is called upon to transition from a framework for consultation to a platform for collective action. He clarified that current international challenges, including disruptions in global trade, security challenges, energy market fluctuations, the food security crisis, climate change, and ongoing conflicts, necessitate enhanced coordination between the two sides. He called for focusing on deepening economic integration, developing regional connectivity, enhancing food security, and supporting peace and stability efforts as a foundation for sustainable development.
He added that the meeting represents an important milestone in preparations for the fifth Arab-African Summit, expressing hope that the upcoming ministerial meeting on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly would provide the necessary political momentum to ensure the summit’s success.
Nyamitwe reaffirmed the African continent’s solidarity with the Palestinian people and their right to self-determination and the establishment of their independent state, emphasizing the importance of enhancing coordination and cooperation between the African Union and the Arab League, and prioritizing youth in the joint cooperation process.
Participants will discuss several agenda items, foremost among them monitoring the implementation of the decisions of the fourth Arab-African Summit held in (Malabo) in 2016, coordination between the Arab League and the African Union regarding the tripartite mechanism on Palestine, and reviewing the joint Arab-African action plan and project financing.
The agenda also includes monitoring preparations for the fourth Arab-African Ministerial Meeting on Agricultural Development and Food Security, the work of the Arab-African Cultural Institute, and discussing several economic and developmental initiatives, including the Arab-African Trade Fair, the Joint Arab-African Fund for Disaster Reduction, the Arab-African Economic Forum, cooperation in the field of migration, and preparations for the 10th General Meeting in Addis Ababa.
Representatives of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, as host of the upcoming Arab Summit, the Kingdom of Bahrain, as host of the previous Arab Summit, the Republic of Angola, as former host of the African Summit, and Egypt, as current chair of the African Union’s Committee on Multilateral Cooperation, will participate in the meeting, along with a number of relevant Arab and African institutions. (End) M.M. / S.M.A.
