Egypt has assumed the presidency of the 39th ordinary session of the Arab Ministers of Transport Council, taking over from Kuwait during the council’s meeting held on Tuesday, at the Arab Academy for Science, Technology and Maritime Transport (AASTMT) in Alexandria.
The meeting was chaired by Minister of Transport Kamel El-Wazir, with the participation of Arab transport ministers, heads of delegations and representatives of the Arab League.
In an opening address, El-Wazir conveyed President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi’s greetings and best wishes for the success of the meeting, reaffirming Egypt’s commitment to facilitating transport and trade among Arab states as a key step towards economic and developmental integration.
He thanked Kuwait for its efforts during its presidency of the council and congratulated Nabil Fahmy on assuming the post of Arab League secretary-general, while expressing appreciation to his predecessor, Ahmed Abul Gheit, for his contributions to joint Arab action.
El-Wazir stressed Egypt’s full solidarity with Saudi Arabia, reaffirming its support for the Kingdom’s security, stability and territorial integrity.
He also reiterated Egypt’s support for Lebanon’s sovereignty, condemning Israeli aggression and calling for an immediate halt to attacks and a full Israeli withdrawal from Lebanese territory.
Addressing regional challenges, El-Wazir highlighted the humanitarian suffering in Gaza, noting that the Israeli war had killed more than 70,000 Palestinians and injured over 170,000. He called for stronger Arab co-ordination to support Palestinian rights and achieve a just and comprehensive peace.
The minister also warned that disruptions to strategic maritime routes, particularly the Strait of Hormuz and Bab el-Mandeb, have far-reaching consequences for global shipping, insurance costs, supply chains and the prices of goods.
He stressed the need to strengthen Arab co-operation to safeguard maritime navigation and ensure the safe and uninterrupted movement of trade in accordance with international law.
El-Wazir proposed preparing an Arab map of priority logistics corridors in co-operation with member states and the Arab League General Secretariat. The proposed map would identify existing transport networks, planned projects and missing links, while assessing technical, operational and economic requirements.
He further called for developing integrated connections between Arab ports, roads, railways and logistics centres, alongside harmonising customs procedures, facilitating cross-border freight movement and expanding the exchange of information and expertise.
The minister said the ultimate goal was to establish a more interconnected, flexible and efficient Arab transport network capable of responding to regional and international challenges.
