Arab Parliament Speaker Adel Al Asoomi revealed that the fourth Arab Parliament conference for council speakers is expected to produce a comprehensive document on how security and stability can be achieved for the Arab world.
“This document will be comprehensive in including all the challenges facing the Arab world in all fields. After its adoption by the conference, it is scheduled to be submitted to the next Arab Summit in Algeria,” Al Asoomi told Asharq Al-Awsat.
The Fourth Conference of the Arab Parliament kicks off on February 19 under the title “the role of parliamentarians in achieving security and stability in the Arab world.”
It will discuss several topics and issues of concern to the Arab world and the role entrusted to parliamentarians in this regard.
Al Asoomi revealed that the Arab Parliament is also organizing a forum to promote economic integration among Arab countries.
The forum will be held in Egypt in partnership with the Arab Administrative Development Organization (ARADO).
On foreign interference, the speaker said it finds a fertile environment in disputes between Arab countries and that the Arab Parliament is backing efforts to bridge the gap allowing foreign parties to intervene in Arab world affairs.
“The Arab Parliament strongly supports the tireless efforts made by Arab leaders for Arab reunification and the crystallization of a common Arab vision to deal with external challenges, the most prominent of which are regional and international interference in the internal affairs of Arab countries,” said Al Asoomi.
Moreover, Al Asoomi stressed that the Arab Parliament “seeks to have a positive and influential role on the Arab arena, especially since the challenges facing the Arab world are difficult and numerous and require solidarity and integration between official and parliamentary diplomacy.”
“Parliamentary diplomacy in our contemporary world has become a very big and important role, especially since it does not abide by some of the restrictions and balances that govern official diplomacy,” explained the speaker.
“We hope that these efforts will find an echo and achieve positive results in supporting joint Arab action,” said Al Asoomi.
At the same time as it tries to resolve Arab disputes, the Arab Parliament also attaches great importance to economic affairs and supports Arab economic integration.
“This comes within the framework of the Arab Parliament’s determination to activate its role and perform its mission in a way that contributes to the integration of governmental and parliamentary efforts in the service of joint Arab action and strengthening its mechanisms,” clarified Al Asoomi.
When asked about the initiatives adopted by the Arab Parliament to enhance social security, Al Asoomi recalled the launch of the Arab Fund for Crisis and Disaster Response and the Arab Center for Combatting Terrorism and Extremism.
“We also launched the Center for Arab Parliamentary Diplomacy out of our belief in the important role played by parliamentary diplomacy in achieving the interests of the Arab peoples and in promoting joint Arab action in this difficult phase that the Arab nation is going through, which requires strengthening Arab solidarity more than ever,” said Al Asoomi.
Arab economic integration is an urgent priority at a time when economic blocs are the cornerstone of the global economic system, explained the speaker.
“The Arab Parliament supports all initiatives that contribute to providing support for joint Arab action, serving the interests of Arab peoples, defending their issues, and enhancing joint Arab cooperation at all levels,” he affirmed.
