Saturday 27 / July / 2024
Manama: The Sultanate of Oman’s participation in the 33rd Arab Summit in Manama, Kingdom of Bahrain, to be held on Thursday (16 May 2024), affirms the permanent principles of Oman’s foreign policy and the country’s steadfast support for all forms of joint Arab action aimed to achieve shared interests and support its issues of common concern.
The Sultanate of Oman has maintained its supportive stance towards the League of Arab States to help the bloc accomplish its objectives and endeavours to realise economic integration that serves the aspirations of Arab peoples for security and stability amid crises and conflicts taking place in the region.
The Arab Summit (Bahrain Summit), to be convened for the first time in the history of the Kingdom, constitutes an important milestone in the march of joint Arab action. The summit assumes significance due to the fact that it takes place amid many serious challenges, most notably the Israeli occupation forces’ military escalation in the Gaza Strip and other occupied Palestinian territories.
The grave injustice inflicted on the Palestinian people requires all to close ranks and achieve Arab solidarity in support of the just Palestinian cause. The current circumstance necessitates the adoption of constructive decisions that contribute to the consolidation of efforts to bring peace, security and stability to the region, and then launch a new stage in joint Arab action.
Besides enhancing cooperation for promoting mechanisms of joint Arab action and maintaining consultation among brethren about issues of common destiny, the Bahrain Summit also accords priority to measures on charting out paths of prosperity for the people of the region and its future generations.
The summit’s agenda is scheduled to cover a range of issues. This includes the follow-up of the implementation of decisions and commitments made during the Arab summit presidency’s 32nd meeting held in Saudi Arabia, the Palestinian issue, Arab national security affairs, the unstable conditions in some Arab countries and foreign interventions in the affairs of Arab states. The agenda includes a review of international political affairs, including the convening of the Second Arab-Chinese Summit and the establishment of the Partnership Forum between the League of Arab States and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
It will also deal with discussions on economic, social, media and legal affairs, climate change issues, the amended Arab Human Rights Strategy (first periodic review of 2024) and the Arab Media Strategy, as well as joint efforts to combat terrorism, maintain Arab national security and draft resolutions submitted by the Economic and Social Council.
Abdullah bin Nasser Al Rahbi, the Sultanate of Oman’s Ambassador to the Arab Republic of Egypt and its permanent representative to the League of Arab States, said in a statement to the Oman News Agency that Oman’s keenness on Arab solidarity is characterized by its active participation in Arab meetings. These include consultation between Oman’s Foreign Ministry and its counterparts in the Arab countries. In these meetings, Oman assumed a forward stance lauded by all parties, said Al Rahbi, noting that Oman has had a strong presence in all meetings of the Arab League.
Al Rahbi added that the Palestinian issue constitutes the main axis and the most prominent topic in the current summit, which, he explained, will showcase more Arab solidarity amid the current challenges posed to the Arab nation and due to other global political developments.
For his part, Faisal Hareb Al Busaidi, Ambassador of the Sultanate of Oman to the Kingdom of Bahrain, said that the Kingdom of Bahrain’s hosting the Arab Summit constitutes a landmark of political significance in the aftermath of many regional challenges, threats and disputes.
Al Busaidi said in a statement to the Oman News Agency that the Sultanate of Oman, since joining the League of Arab States on 29 September 1971, has harnessed all its efforts in support of Arab solidarity through participation in all Arab summits.
