Fahmy: I will return to Cairo carrying Kuwaiti messages and a clear vision for Arab action
- Kuwaiti Arabism is one of the firm pillars of its foreign policy, a value that transcends current circumstances and events.
- We are working on a renewed Arab initiative based on confronting crises and developing capabilities and development.
- 65% of Arabs are under the age of thirty, which places a significant responsibility on governments to provide them with a better future.
- Achieving development and enhancing self-capabilities are two essential conditions for protecting the independence of national decision-making.
- Arab states’ reliance on external parties has weakened the focus on building independent options and capabilities to protect national security.
- Arab states are called upon to play a greater role in securing themselves at the national and collective levels.
- Targeting civilian sites in Saudi Arabia is unacceptable and must not go unpunished.
- The core of the problem in Yemen is the absence of stability for the nation-state, which allows various parties to exploit the situation.
The Secretary-General of the Arab League, Ambassador Nabil Fahmy, emphasized that enhancing Arab national security requires transitioning joint Arab action to a more effective stage, based on developing the self-capabilities of Arab states and building an Arab deterrence system with its political and economic dimensions, alongside strengthening regional and international cooperation. He stressed the necessity of restoring the credibility of joint Arab action in light of the escalating challenges facing the region.
Fahmy, in his meeting with representatives of local newspapers on Monday evening, stated that his visit to Kuwait comes in appreciation of its Arab stances and its role in supporting joint Arab action. He noted that his relationship with Kuwait spans many years of diplomatic work, during which he witnessed important milestones, particularly those related to the Iraqi invasion, the liberation of the country, and their aftermath.
He added that “Kuwaiti Arabism represents one of the firm pillars of its foreign policy, a value that transcends current circumstances and events,” affirming the readiness of the Arab League Secretariat General to provide all possible forms of political support to Kuwait, contributing to protecting its interests and enhancing stability in the Arab region.
He clarified that during his visit, he had the honor of meeting with senior Kuwaiti officials at various levels, discussing strategic issues and others related to current developments. He indicated that he would return to Cairo carrying Kuwaiti messages and a clear vision regarding joint Arab action and the League’s role, after presenting the outlines of his thoughts and orientations for the coming phase, which primarily aim to protect Arab interests.
Fahmy stressed that “the Arab League cannot be separated from member states, as states are the foundation of the Arab system and its institutions. The responsibility of the Secretariat General is not to replace states in defending their interests, but to support their positions and provide political frameworks that help them move jointly.”
He said that “the League’s role gains special importance in a turbulent world and a Middle East witnessing rapid transformations,” affirming “the necessity of establishing mechanisms that help Arab states prepare for future risks, deal with existing crises, and simultaneously benefit from the positive opportunities that the coming phase may offer.”
He pointed out that he proposed, in his first speech before the Arab League Council last September, a renewed Arab initiative based on three main axes: confronting political crises, developing Arab capabilities, and achieving development.
He clarified that “the development axis includes updating the capacities of Arab states and joint-work institutions, including the Arab League. The responsibility for developing the system does not rest on one side alone, but requires joint efforts from the states and the Secretariat General. As for the development axis, it starts from the fact that people under the age of 30 constitute about 65 percent of the Arab world’s population, which, according to Fahmy, imposes a great responsibility on Arab governments and institutions to provide a better future for these generations by achieving growth rates commensurate with their ambitions and aspirations.”
Fahmy stressed that “achieving development and enhancing self-capacity are two essential conditions for protecting national decision-making independence. Excessive reliance by any state on external parties in economic, social, security, or political fields may limit its ability to make independent decisions. Arab states cannot isolate themselves from the world; rather, they must interact with international and regional powers and benefit from their relationships and partnerships, while simultaneously building their own capacities and expanding areas of joint cooperation.”
He cited the European experience, noting that “one of the reasons for the European Union’s progress lies in combining cooperation with external parties and building self-capacity, which enabled its member states to adopt independent positions on certain international files. Conversely, the excessive reliance of Arab states on external parties has contributed to imbalances in the region’s security and political balances, and weakened the focus on building the necessary options and self-capacities to protect national security.”
He said the region needs a new Arab realism, based on the recognition that Arab states are part of a broader regional and international system, but are also called upon to play a greater role in securing themselves, whether at the national or collective level.
Speaking about the threats facing the countries of the region, Fahmy stressed that “respect for international law is a fundamental element in protecting the national security of Arab states, and the pillar upon which Arab collective security should be based. Arab states, as medium-sized countries, need to adhere to international legal rules to prevent violations of their sovereignty or aggression against their territories and interests,” emphasizing that violations of international law represent a common denominator in many issues affecting Arab interests.
He added that “the Secretariat General will continue to express its rejection of any violations of international law affecting Arab interests, and work to bring member states together and coordinate their positions, enabling collective action or action based on the widest possible consensus.”
He affirmed that “the Arab League represents a political forum that seeks to stimulate, encourage, and empower member states to protect their interests,” noting the importance of enhancing the League’s capacity to contribute to providing more effective security guarantees for Arab states.
Regarding developments in Yemen and tensions related to attacks on Saudi Arabia, Fahmy stressed the rejection of targeting civilian sites, considering such transgressions unacceptable and that those responsible must be held accountable.
He clarified that “the Yemeni crisis dates back decades and has witnessed periods of escalation and calm. The core of the problem lies in the lack of stability in the Yemeni state, which allows various parties to exploit internal conditions, negatively impacting the Yemeni people, the security of neighboring countries, and their stability.”
He revealed that he had held direct communications with Yemeni officials and spoken with the Yemeni Foreign Minister regarding recent developments prior to his arrival in Kuwait, emphasizing that the Arab League Secretariat General had begun addressing the Yemen file as one of its priorities, alongside issues related to Iran, developments affecting Gulf states, and the Palestinian cause.
He noted that his engagement on the Yemen file remained in the stage of crystallizing a vision and reading various positions, paving the way for determining approaches to handle the crisis within the framework of joint Arab action.
Nabil Fahmy touched upon the Palestinian issue, affirming that it had remained, throughout his diplomatic career, the pivotal regional issue, stressing that it would continue to top the priorities of Arab action. He stated that “reaching a solution to the Palestinian issue has become more difficult than it was five or ten years ago, due to settlement expansion, the destruction witnessed in Gaza, and the continuation of Israeli policies that obstruct the path to a political settlement.”
He pointed out that “the responsibility for addressing the Palestinian issue does not rest solely on the Secretariat General, but requires action by Arab states, while the League’s role lies in gathering and coordinating positions and supporting initiatives that serve Arab interests.” He affirmed that “adherence to international law is not limited to the Palestinian issue, but constitutes the foundation for dealing with various Arab crises, including any violation of sovereignty or attempts to change borders by force.”
Fahmy addressed the possibility of holding an Arab summit to discuss regional developments, stating that high-level meetings and summits remain beneficial as they provide opportunities for consultation and coordination of positions, emphasizing the importance of regular Arab meetings even during periods without major crises.
He added that “summits can serve as occasions to launch initiatives, announce decisions, or send political messages; however, what is more important than their convening is proper preparation and follow-up on the implementation of decisions issued from them.” He clarified that “current circumstances see Arab states preoccupied with their internal and regional crises and challenges, but diplomatic work continues,” noting that he had held communications with Arab officials, including the Saudi Foreign Minister, alongside his communications regarding Yemeni developments.
He affirmed that diplomatic efforts would continue in the coming phase, with work aimed at creating suitable conditions to organize Arab summits and meetings on a regular basis.
In response to a question regarding transforming the Arab League from a body limited to issuing statements of condemnation into a system more capable of joint action, Fahmy affirmed that the fundamental challenge lies in restoring the credibility of joint Arab action by transitioning from diagnosing crises to developing tools to address them.
He said he had clearly announced, in his first speech before the Arab League last September, “the necessity of working on three parallel tracks: confronting issues and crises, developing self and institutional capacities, and achieving development.” He added that “developing the Arab national security system requires thinking about building an Arab deterrence system that is not limited to the military aspect, but also includes collective political action and economic cooperation, thereby enhancing Arab states’ ability to protect their interests and deter any threats they face.”
Fahmy pointed out that “the ideas proposed to enhance action and build an Arab deterrence system require consultation with member states and consensus on practical mechanisms for their gradual implementation, rather than relying on immediate solutions that do not account for differences in circumstances and capacities among countries.”
He emphasized that “what is required is not the issuance of promises, but rather the setting of clear objectives and a work agenda that includes actionable steps, to be discussed with Arab countries and developed in accordance with the nature of each file and its needs.”
He affirmed that “restoring confidence in joint Arab action begins with thinking about the future, identifying the necessary tools for action, and providing the capacities that enable the implementation of plans,” considering that “addressing crises will not be possible without developing self-capabilities, and that capacity-building cannot succeed without sustainable economic development.”
