HE Assistant Secretary-General and Head of the Economic Affairs sector in the Arab League Ambassador Dr. Ali bin Ibrahim Al Malki said that the Arab League Council at the summit level, in its 33rd regular session in Bahrain, will address a number of significant topics in the economic and social files, most notably support for the Palestinian people in light of the humanitarian crisis they have been living as a result of the Israeli aggression against the Gaza Strip since Oct. 7.
In remarks to Qatar News Agency (QNA), His Excellency indicated that the topics presented within the economic and social files of the summit include an emergency response plan to deal with the negative economic and social repercussions of the Israeli aggression against the State of Palestine, in addition to the progress made in completing the Greater Arab Free Trade Area (GAFTA) and establishing the Arab Customs Union, in addition to Arab cooperation in the field of financial technology, innovation and digital transformation, the Arab strategy for water security, and the draft statute of the Council of Arab Ministers of Cybersecurity.
HE Assistant Secretary-General of the Arab League said that the emergency response plan to deal with the negative economic and social repercussions of the Israeli aggression against the State of Palestine comes at the forefront of the agenda of the economic and social file. He indicated that on Feb. 15, the 13th session of the Arab Economic and Social Council issued a decision regarding the preparation of this emergency plan, and assigned the General Secretariat of the Arab League to coordinate with the State of Palestine, specialized Arab organizations, and Arab federations affiliated with the Arab League to prepare it and circulate it to member states, in preparation for presenting it within the economic and social file submitted to the Arab League Council at the summit level in its 33rd regular session in the Kingdom of Bahrain.
His Excellency said that this plan included a number of proposals in various social, humanitarian, and economic fields, with an emphasis on providing urgent social, humanitarian, and health assistance as a top priority through a short-term plan and to be followed at a later stage by the necessary economic interventions.
HE Assistant Secretary-General of the Arab League addressed the stages of preparing this plan, leading to an agreement that the Permanent Representative of the State of Palestine to the Arab League will present the agreed-upon observations to the committee formed by the ministries and concerned authorities in the State of Palestine to update the plan in light of what was agreed upon in preparation for presenting it in an integrated manner to the Economic and Social Council, in a way that achieves the desired goals aimed at alleviating the difficult humanitarian, social, and economic situation in the State of Palestine. He noted that it was presented to the 56th regular session of the Supreme Coordination Committee for Joint Arab Action at the expert level on April 22, and was recommended.
His Excellency said that the efforts of the Arab League to provide economic support to the Palestinian people in light of the deteriorating humanitarian conditions in the Gaza Strip as a result of the ongoing Israeli war are taking place at various levels as support for the Palestinian people is considered a permanent item on the agenda of the specialized ministerial councils. He pointed out that the Arab League Council at the level of Arab Foreign Ministers issued resolution No. 8997 on March 6, 2024, regarding activating a financial safety net as quickly as possible in the amount of $100 million per month to support the State of Palestine to address the pressures and financial crises it is exposed to. The General Secretariat of the Arab League, in cooperation with specialized Arab organizations and various ministerial councils, provided support for the Palestinian people in the form of medicines and food.
Regarding the completion of the GAFTA and the establishment of the Arab Customs Union, HE the Assistant Secretary-General of the Arab League indicated that this item is permanently presented to the Arab Summit to learn about the latest developments in this important file, and then take decisions that will advance the process of Arab economic integration. He explained that a number of basic paragraphs will be presented in this regard, including issues related to joining the GAFTA, the Arab Customs Cooperation Agreement, and the amended agreement for regulating transit transportation, as well as discussing the activation of the action plan for implementing the Agreement on the Liberalization of Trade in Services among Arab Countries and presenting the issue of supporting the accession of the General Secretariat of the Arab League to the World Trade Organization as an observer member.

Regarding the item related to Arab cooperation in the field of financial technology, innovation, and digital transformation, His Excellency explained that this topic presented within the summits economic file is of particular importance, as most countries and institutions seek to change their method of work to improve the provision of financial services to be more efficient and effective in their designs. They also seek to achieve goals such as increasing transparency and interoperability, and the possibility of digital transformation is gaining importance for all those interested in banking and finance in the world.
Regarding the item related to the Arab strategy for water security in the Arab region to meet future challenges and requirements for sustainable development, HE the Assistant Secretary-General of the Arab League stressed that this issue is of great importance in light of the financial challenges facing Arab countries in terms of water poverty, and the worsening water crisis in Arab countries year after year, in addition to the increasing threats faced by some Arab countries regarding their rights to the waters of rivers shared with neighboring countries, especially on the Nile and Euphrates rivers.

His Excellency also noted that the economic file of the Arab Summit also includes the draft statute of the Council of Arab Ministers of Cybersecurity, pointing out that this draft was approved by the Arab Economic and Social Council at its 113th session.

Regarding the efforts of the Arab League to achieve Arab food security in light of the current global economic crisis and successive developments in the region, HE the Assistant Secretary-General of the Arab League indicated that the General Secretariat of the Arab League plays a vital role in achieving food security in the Arab world by holding several workshops and meetings with Arab organizations specialized in the field of agriculture as they contribute to developing strategies and policies aimed at increasing agricultural production and enhancing access to safe and nutritious food for the population, in addition to working to enhance cooperation and coordination between member states of the Arab League to exchange experiences and knowledge and support research and development programs in the field of agriculture.

His Excellency noted that the Arab Summit in Algeria 2022 recognized the importance of food security and commissioned the General Secretariat of the Arab League to prepare an integrated strategy to ensure the provision of safe and available food to all residents in the Arab world, which includes supporting sustainable agriculture, improving the work environment for farmers, and promoting international trade in food products, in addition to encouraging investment in agricultural infrastructure and providing modern technology to increase the productivity of the agricultural sector.

His Excellency said that it is expected that this strategy will be adopted at the Economic and Social Development Summit in Mauritania in its next session, which reflects the commitment of the Arab countries to achieving stable food supplies and achieving food security for their citizens. In this regard, he emphasized that achieving food security requires joint efforts and international cooperation, and therefore the Arab countries must work together to implement this strategy and ensure a decent life for all the peoples of the region.

Regarding the most prominent efforts to support Sudan and save the agricultural season in the country, HE the Assistant Secretary-General of the Arab League indicated that the agricultural sector is the backbone of the Sudanese economy and a major source of income and food resources. Therefore, it must be supported immediately and effectively to maintain its sustainability and improve its production. He pointed out that agriculture in Sudan faces many challenges, including harsh weather conditions, lack of funding, and traditional methods of agriculture, where it is important to provide financial and technical support and improve the soil to farmers, which will contribute to increasing productivity, improving crop quality, and diversifying agricultural production.

In this regard, His Excellency also explained that supporting the agricultural sector is one of the most important factors for achieving food security and strengthening the local economy. Therefore, the government and international and regional organizations must work together to implement the "initiative to save the agricultural season in Sudan," ensure its success, and achieve economic and social stability in the country. He noted that the Arab Organization for Agricultural Development (AOAD) launched this initiative under the auspices of Secretary-General of the Arab League of Ahmed Aboul Gheit to strengthen agriculture in Sudan and increase agricultural productivity by providing support and assistance to farmers.
His Excellency noted that the Secretary-General of the Arab League directed the formation of a committee that includes the Department of Housing, Water Resources and Disaster Reduction, the Department of the Horn of Africa in the General Secretariat of the Arab League, the AOAD, and the Sudanese Ministry of Agriculture to follow up on the implementation of the initiative by reviewing agricultural strategies in Sudan, identifying urgent needs to enhance agricultural production, and searching for a mechanism to provide financial and technical support to farmers to improve agricultural techniques and increase productivity. He pointed out that the arable land in Sudan is huge and that the countrys capabilities to increase agricultural production are great, but the agricultural infrastructure must be improved, and training and support must be provided for farmers to make the most of these opportunities.
Regarding the most prominent developments of the Arab Coordination Mechanism for Disaster Risk Reduction, His Excellency indicated that the General Secretariat of the Arab League held five meetings for this mechanism and a meeting at the level of ministers concerned with disaster risk reduction. He pointed out that the sixth meeting of the mechanism and the second meeting of ministers are scheduled to be held during 2024, to discuss a number of topics, the most important of which is the establishment of an Arab Ministerial Council for disaster risk reduction.
His Excellency noted that the Arab Summit held in Algeria in 2005 approved the establishment of an Arab mechanism concerned with reducing the effects of natural disasters and the field of relief and rescue, and that the mechanism was changed in 2018 at the Dhahran Summit to become the Arab Coordination Mechanism for Disaster Risk Reduction, considering it the Arab Mechanism concerned with cooperation and coordination with Arab countries to implement the Arab Strategy for Disaster Risk Reduction 2030. He noted that the technical secretariat of the Arab Coordination Mechanism for Disaster Risk Reduction is working on several projects and programs and building regional and international partnerships, in addition to its main work tasks in Arab coordination for disaster risk reduction, and following up on the implementation of relevant Arab strategy.