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Arab League, African Union Look Forward to Next Joint Summit in Saudi Arabia

Arab League and African Union officials meet in Cairo on Monday. (Arab League)
Arab League and African Union officials meet in Cairo on Monday. (Arab League)
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Arab League, African Union Look Forward to Next Joint Summit in Saudi Arabia

Arab League and African Union officials meet in Cairo on Monday. (Arab League)
Arab League and African Union officials meet in Cairo on Monday. (Arab League)

Secretary-General of the Arab League Ahmed Aboul Gheit and Chairperson of the African Union Commission (AUC) Moussa Faki co-chaired on Monday the ninth meeting of the Arab-African Cooperation in the League’s headquarters in Cairo.

They followed up the implementation of the decisions issued by the 2016 Arab-African summit in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea, and the resulting joint action plans.

Monday’s meeting was held in preparations for the upcoming fifth Arab-African summit, which will be hosted by Saudi Arabia. Kings and heads of states and governments are expected to take part in the event.

“We highly appreciate the efforts exerted by the Arab League and the AUC to follow up on the implementation of the outcomes of the 2016 Arab-African summit, as well as the preparations for the next summit in Riyadh, despite the challenges imposed by the coronavirus pandemic,” Aboul Gheit said.

“We remain keen on moving forward with this joint work to overcome all obstacles,” he added. “We look forward to the continued coordination with the AUC and the next summit’s host country to agree on its proposed date and various preparations, hoping the conditions will us to resume the efforts exerted before the pandemic,” he added.

Aboul Gheit and Faki reviewed means to “enhance bilateral coordination and complementary work to resolve crises and address the multiple challenges in the Arab-African area.”

They also agreed to upgrade the level of bilateral partnership and develop existing work programs in various political, economic, social and cultural fields.

According to an Arab League official source, both officials discussed several methods to support Libyan parties to reach a political settlement and maintain the current ceasefire.

They further discussed means to support the political transition process in Sudan, consolidate the Juba Peace Agreement signed between the government and armed movements and support the state in its efforts to improve the economy, the official’s statement read.

The statement pointed out that Aboul Gheit and Faki tackled ways to intensify Arab-African support for the federal government in Somalia and assist it in its efforts to restore stability and security throughout its territories as it prepares to hold elections.

They also discussed other regional issues of common interest, including the border crisis between Sudan and Ethiopia and the African Union-sponsored talks between Egypt, Ethiopia and Sudan on the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD).

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Arab World

Houthi Charges of Espionage: A Tool to Intimidate, Control the Population

Houthis demonstrate in the center of the capital Sanaa against American and British strikes on their positions. (AP)
Houthis demonstrate in the center of the capital Sanaa against American and British strikes on their positions. (AP)
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Houthi Charges of Espionage: A Tool to Intimidate, Control the Population

Houthis demonstrate in the center of the capital Sanaa against American and British strikes on their positions. (AP)
Houthis demonstrate in the center of the capital Sanaa against American and British strikes on their positions. (AP)

The Houthi militia has recently released several individuals it had abducted for celebrating Yemen’s September Revolution. However, over the past few days, it has detained hundreds of residents in its stronghold of Saada, accusing them of espionage.

The campaign coincides with the airing of alleged confessions from a purported spy cell and the abduction of a former employee of the US Embassy in Yemen.

Local sources in Saada province, approximately 242 kilometers north of Sanaa, report that the Houthis have launched a widespread campaign of arrests targeting civilians. These individuals have been taken from their homes, workplaces, and businesses under allegations of collaborating with Western nations and Israel. Families of those detained have been warned to remain silent and refrain from discussing the arrests with the media or on social media platforms.

According to the sources, more than 300 individuals, including dozens of women, have been abducted across various districts in Saada. The arrests have also targeted relatives and associates of Othman Mujalli, a member of Yemen’s Presidential Leadership Council, who hails from the region.

The sources suggest that the Houthis are detaining women as hostages to pressure their relatives, who may either be out of the militia’s reach or living outside Houthi-controlled areas. They also appear to be using the women to coerce confessions from male relatives. Last month, the Houthis accused Hamid Mujalli, Othman Mujalli’s brother, of engaging in espionage for Arab and Western nations for nearly two decades.

In a separate incident, the Houthis abducted a former employee of the US Embassy in Sanaa from his home on Monday without providing any explanation for their actions.

Release of Detainees

The Houthis recently released Sheikh Amin Rajeh, a tribal leader from Ibb province, after detaining him for four months. Several other individuals were also freed, none of whom had been formally charged during their detention. Rajeh, a member of the General People’s Congress Party, was one of many political activists, students, workers, and public employees abducted in September for celebrating Yemen’s September 26, 1962, revolution.

One of the released individuals, a shop owner, told Asharq Al-Awsat that he was unaware of the reason for his detention. He had been abducted in November, two months after the Houthis initiated a crackdown on those commemorating the revolution.

Alleged Spy Cell

Houthi-controlled media recently broadcast confessions from what they claimed was a newly uncovered spy cell. The group linked the cell to its broader narrative of “promised conquest and sacred jihad” against the West and Israel.

According to Houthi security officials, the alleged spy cell was working to compile a “target database,” monitor sites linked to missile forces and drones, and track specific military and security locations. They also claimed the cell had been observing the residences and movements of Houthi leaders.

In response, the Houthis issued warnings to residents, forbidding them from discussing or sharing information about militia-controlled sites, facilities, or the whereabouts of their leaders.

The Houthis’ actions reflect mounting concerns over potential strikes targeting their senior leadership, similar to the recent attacks on Hezbollah figures in Lebanon. Those fears come amid ongoing tensions with Israel, the United States, and the United Kingdom, following the Houthis’ assaults on international shipping lanes in the Red Sea and missile attacks on Israel.