The Bahraini capital, Manama, is set to host the Arab Summit next Thursday, amidst ongoing crises in the region, notably the war in Gaza. The Economic and Social Council convened in Cairo yesterday, Sunday, as part of the preparations for the 33rd Arab Summit. Following this, meetings will be held at the level of permanent representatives and ministers.
Within what was described by the Secretary-General of the Arab League, Ahmed Abu Ghait, as an "Arab initiative" to provide relief to Gaza, the Economic and Social Council discussed mechanisms to activate an "emergency plan to deal with the economic and humanitarian repercussions of the Israeli aggression on Gaza," which Palestine prepared in cooperation with the Arab League's General Secretariat and relevant Arab specialized organizations.
Saudi Finance Minister Mohammed bin Abdullah Al-Jadaan, in his speech before handing over the presidency of the meeting to his Bahraini counterpart, emphasized that "the Kingdom places great importance on the Palestinian cause by supporting it on all political, economic, and social levels," referring to the Kingdom's call to hold an extraordinary Arab-Islamic summit in Riyadh in November 2023.
Bahraini Crown Prince and Prime Minister Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, during his reception of the Arab League Secretary-General and heads of participating delegations, stated that "Bahrain supports all Arab efforts and initiatives aimed at advancing economic and social integration towards broader levels to continue joint coordination in dealing with the rapid changes the global economy is witnessing, contributing to achieving the desired economic growth."
