The Arab League (AL) has efficiently and effectively dealt with crises and challenges during its 159th Session on the ministerial level, Egypt’s Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry said.
Addressing the opening of the Arab foreign minister’s 160th session, Shoukry noted that the Egyptian presidency of the Arab League Council played a pivotal role in Syria’s return to the organisation.
Egyptian foreign ministry handed over presidency of the Arab League Council, on the ministerial level, to Moroccan counterpart, Nasser Bourita, whose country will chair the 160th session.
On Sudan, Shoukry said that the Arab League reacted rapidly and efficiently to the crisis that erupted in April: The first meeting on the issue was held just after 30 hours after the problem erupted.
He also referred to the formation of an Arab contact group to deal with the crisis, laying down a framework for an Arab working mechanism to handle the situationand coordinate efforts and ensure unity, safety and independence of the country and its people, as well as deterring attempts of external interference.
The Egyptian presidency has also seen Syria’s return to the League, in line with “a collective Arab resolution issued at the extraordinary session Egypt had called for on May 7.”
In the meantime, and amid the back-to-back events in various crises, the League’s council was keen to carry on with its follow-up and efforts to deal with the Palestinian cause, “our central cause, and the unprecedented challenges it faces”.
On the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), Shoukry noted that the ministerial council had made a major decision to enlist the issue as a permanent item on the agendas of the coming Arab meetings and summits.
Ethiopia has showed no intention to accept one of the available middle solutions that would fulfill the interests of Egypt, Sudan and Ethiopia with regard to the dam issue.
In parallel, Egypt has also monitored no change in the Ethiopian unilateral position regarding the filling and operation of the dam, Shoukry affirmed.
Shoukry said Egypt calls for the Arab League to continue its efforts in urging Ethiopia to abandon its unilateral positions and show the political will required to reach a binding agreement on GERD without any delay.
Shoukry affirmed Egypt’s continuous endeavors to reach a peaceful solution on GERD in a way that does not harm the Egyptian water interests and national security.
Egypt, Sudan and Ethiopia held a new round of tripartite talks on 27-28 August to resume negotiations on the controversial Ethiopian dam.
On Libya and Yemen, Shoukry noted that the 159thsession has taken key resolutions to handle the situation in both countries.
