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Council of Arab Economic Unity Meets in Khartoum, Discusses Food Security

A picture shows a view of The Nile river at the bridge of Tuti Island in the center of Sudan's capital Khartoum at sunset, on September 15, 2022. (AFP)
A picture shows a view of The Nile river at the bridge of Tuti Island in the center of Sudan's capital Khartoum at sunset, on September 15, 2022. (AFP)
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Council of Arab Economic Unity Meets in Khartoum, Discusses Food Security

A picture shows a view of The Nile river at the bridge of Tuti Island in the center of Sudan's capital Khartoum at sunset, on September 15, 2022. (AFP)
A picture shows a view of The Nile river at the bridge of Tuti Island in the center of Sudan's capital Khartoum at sunset, on September 15, 2022. (AFP)

The Council of Arab Economic Unity (CAEU) kicked off in Khartoum on Monday its 144th session with the participation of Arab ambassadors, representatives of Arab federations, and undersecretaries of ministries in Sudanese officials.

The Council will hold its meetings until next Thursday under the slogan "Towards Closer Cooperation to Sustain Arab Food Security."

Sudan's Finance Minister Gibril Ibrahim said the meeting is being held under extraordinary economic circumstances due to the coronavirus pandemic, the Russian-Ukrainian war, climate change and its impact on food supply chains, economic growth, unemployment, and other factors.

Ibrahim explained that the challenges require solidarity and joint efforts to counter their impact.

The Council played a role in coordinating and mobilizing efforts of the public and private sectors to collectively face these challenges, taking advantage of the available opportunities and resources to create an attractive environment for Arab and international investments, he added.

The minister noted that in light of the regional and global economic conditions, collective action was the only way to resolve the issues, stressing that the public sector alone cannot face these challenges.

He called for empowering the private sector to play its role in leading Arab economies and activating and representing the economic effort.

Ibrahim called on Arab countries to seize Sudan's unlimited opportunities and potential in agriculture, livestock, agricultural industrialization, and infrastructure related to food supply chains.

Sudan is fully prepared to receive investors and facilitate all obstacles, he stressed, calling on Arab countries to invest in electricity.

Meanwhile, CAEU Secretary General Ambassador Mohammadi Ahmadi al-Ni urged the Arab private sector to invest in Sudan, saying the Council is seeking to achieve Arab food security given the socioeconomic crises and climate changes.

Sudan has all the agricultural potential and expertise that qualifies it to provide food security in the Arab region.

He called for legislative reforms to address the obstacles that are hindering the Arab private sector and foreign investors and adopt policies to strengthen the national economy in partnership between the public and private sectors.

In November, the Arab League summit in Algeria adopted Sudan's food security initiative.

The Council is one of the specialized technical bodies that assist in the administrative work of the Arab League concerned with the complete economic unity of the Arab countries.

The Council of Arab Economic Unity (CAEU) was founded by Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Libya, Mauritania, Palestine, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Tunisia, Syria, UAE, and Yemen in 1964, following an agreement in 1957 by the Economic Council of the Arab League.

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Saudi Arabia Makes History with Adoption of Riyadh Treaty on Design Law

Photo of the Riyadh Diplomatic Conference on the Design Law Treaty (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Photo of the Riyadh Diplomatic Conference on the Design Law Treaty (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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Saudi Arabia Makes History with Adoption of Riyadh Treaty on Design Law

Photo of the Riyadh Diplomatic Conference on the Design Law Treaty (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Photo of the Riyadh Diplomatic Conference on the Design Law Treaty (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Saudi Arabia has made history by uniting the 193 member states of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) to adopt the Riyadh Treaty on Design Law. This landmark achievement, realized after two decades of deliberation, underscores the Kingdom’s leadership in enhancing the global intellectual property system.

The announcement came at the conclusion of the Riyadh Diplomatic Conference on the Design Law Treaty, a rare event for WIPO, which has not held a diplomatic conference outside Geneva for more than a decade. It was also the first such event hosted in Saudi Arabia and the Middle East, representing the final stage of negotiations to establish an agreement aimed at simplifying and standardizing design protection procedures across member states.

Over the past two weeks, intensive discussions and negotiations among member states culminated in the adoption of the Riyadh Treaty, which commits signatory nations to a unified set of requirements for registering designs, ensuring consistent and streamlined procedures worldwide. The agreement is expected to have a significant positive impact on designers, enabling them to protect their creations more effectively and uniformly across international markets.

At a press conference held on Friday to mark the event’s conclusion, CEO of the Saudi Authority for Intellectual Property Abdulaziz Al-Suwailem highlighted the economic potential of the new protocol.

Responding to a question from Asharq Al-Awsat, Al-Suwailem noted the substantial contributions of young Saudi men and women in creative design. He explained that the agreement will enable their designs to be formally protected, allowing them to enter markets as valuable, tradable assets.

He also emphasized the symbolic importance of naming the convention the Riyadh Treaty, stating that it reflects Saudi Arabia’s growing influence as a bridge between cultures and a global center for innovative initiatives.

The treaty lays critical legal foundations to support designers and drive innovation worldwide, aligning with Saudi Arabia’s vision of promoting international collaboration in the creative industries and underscoring its leadership in building a sustainable future for innovators.

The agreement also advances global efforts to enhance creativity, protect intellectual property, and stimulate innovation on a broader scale.

This achievement further strengthens Saudi Arabia’s position as a global hub for groundbreaking initiatives, demonstrating its commitment to nurturing creativity, safeguarding designers’ rights, and driving the development of creative industries on an international scale.

The Riyadh Diplomatic Conference, held from November 11 to 22, was hosted by the Saudi Authority for Intellectual Property and attracted high-ranking officials and decision-makers from WIPO member states.