HE Secretary-General of the League of Arab States Ahmed Aboul Gheit underlined that the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 showed the Arab culture through all its details, introduced the real image of Arabs, and promoted the Arab culture more than any other event in recent years.
In an interview with Qatari newspaper Al-Raya, HE the Arab League Secretary-General affirmed that Qatar 2022 was an Arab World Cup indeed, not only because it was hosted by an Arab country, but also because it had a clear Arab character in everything, and the Arab culture was demonstrated through all its details naturally. It was presented to the world in the best way possible.
I'll seize this opportunity to send a big and well-deserved salute to the State of Qatar for its keenness to take advantage of this opportunity to spread a positive image of Arab culture in various parts of the world, and for its mastery of all the details in the preparation and organization and directing of the event in an impressive way that was in itself an important message demonstrating the ability of the Arabs to achieve and succeed in the most complex and difficult tasks, at international standards, he said.
On the Palestinian issue, the Arab League Secretary-General noted the critical situation in Palestine, especially with the most extreme right-wing government taking power in the Israeli government, whose members do not believe in the two-state solution and have a declared expansionist program to annex the occupied Palestinian lands and accelerate settlement construction.
He said that the ongoing Israeli violations in Jerusalem and around Al-Aqsa Mosque, especially during the blessed month of Ramadan, reflect the arrogance of power, indifference, or interest in anything except for the achievement of Jewish goals, regretting the unprecedent and unjustified international silence on these acts of violence that are taking place in full view of the world in negligence of international law and moral principles.
Speaking about the latest developments in Sudan and the confrontations between the army and the Rapid Support Forces, Aboul Gheit said that these armed confrontations should stop immediately in order to spare further bloodshed and preserve the unity of the country.
On the Syrian crisis, Aboul Gheit indicated that he main reason that hinders reaching a solution to end the crisis and allow the return of refugees and displaced persons from neighboring countries is the multiplicity of regional and international parties that have a presence and exercise their influence on the Syrian soil. These parties do not want a political settlement that does not serve their interests, or is in the interest of their competitors. He stressed that the political solution is the only way out of the Syrian crisis, and it requires concessions from all parties.
On the other hand, the Arab League Secretary-General believed that the Libyan people are paying the price of the political division in the country. He noted that the Libyan people are not divided, and this is an important aspect that must be taken into account when looking at the political and social situation in the country. There is a state of harmony among the people who do not suffer sectarian or ethnic divisions as other countries, and politicians should realize that the Libyan citizen is the one who pays the price for this division, and that holding elections must be done through the agreement on the constitutional base.
Regarding the future of Lebanon, which suffers from a presidential vacuum and political, security and economic crises, Aboul Gheit believed that that the current crisis has taken Lebanon to an unprecedented situation in which the political impasse combines with an economic decline, as well as exacerbating social and security problems. The truth is that the situation in Lebanon is entering a dangerous phase with the ongoing political and economic paralysis.
In another context, the Arab League Secretary-General underlined that the relationship between the Arab League and the African Union is very good, as there are many common political positions and mutual interests. He noted that there are issues of concern to both sides, such as the situation in Somalia, which has been suffering from a continuous crisis for four consecutive years as a result of the drought that has left millions of displaced people; the political settlement in Libya which is an issue of concern to both the Arab and African sides; and the situation in Sudan.
On the Russian-Ukrainian war, Aboul Gheit said that the conflict has had an impact on the economic conditions in the Arab countries given the rise in commodity prices and the high inflation rate. He indicated that the war in Ukraine has repercussions for the whole world, and the Arab region is no exception. There is a serious aspect related to food security, especially since some Arab countries are densely populated and are among the largest importers of wheat in the world.