Arab-African Meeting Held in Cairo ahead of Riyadh Summit Next Month

The opening of the Fourth Africa-Arab Summit, Malabo, Equatorial Guinea, 23 November 2016. (African Union)
The opening of the Fourth Africa-Arab Summit, Malabo, Equatorial Guinea, 23 November 2016. (African Union)
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Arab-African Meeting Held in Cairo ahead of Riyadh Summit Next Month

The opening of the Fourth Africa-Arab Summit, Malabo, Equatorial Guinea, 23 November 2016. (African Union)
The opening of the Fourth Africa-Arab Summit, Malabo, Equatorial Guinea, 23 November 2016. (African Union)

An Arab League committee met in Cairo on Sunday to prepare for a congress of the Arab and African ministers of agriculture that will be held in Egypt on November 9 – 11.

The recommendations of the ministers’ meeting will be submitted to the Arab-African Summit, scheduled for Riyadh on November 25.

This is the forth meeting of the committee, which is attended by representatives from the Arab League, the African Union and Egypt, which hosts the summit of the Arab-African ministers of agriculture.

Following Sunday’s meeting, Ambassador Kamal Hassan Ali, Assistant Secretary-General for Economic Affairs at the Arab League, told reporters that participants discussed the technical papers that should be presented during the congress, adding that a fifth meeting will be held on November 3 for this end.

“The congress aims to boost cooperation between Africa and Arabs, particularly in the agricultural field, one of the main items on the agenda of next month’s Riyadh summit,” he added.

Asked whether the Arab League was satisfied with the progress of Arab-African cooperation after several meetings were held in this regard, he replied that efforts were ongoing to strengthen these ties, which he described as broad and wide-ranging.

On whether the current Israeli infiltration in Africa would have any negative impact on these relations, Ali stated: “Israel seeks such objectives, however, joint Arab-African joint cooperation will foil conspiracies plotted by any party.”



Blinken Speaks to Israel’s Dermer about Humanitarian Situation in Gaza

 A man sits on rubble of a house destroyed in an Israeli strike at the Nuseirat refugee camp, central Gaza Strip, on November 12, 2024, amid the ongoing war between Israel and the Palestinian group Hamas. (AFP)
A man sits on rubble of a house destroyed in an Israeli strike at the Nuseirat refugee camp, central Gaza Strip, on November 12, 2024, amid the ongoing war between Israel and the Palestinian group Hamas. (AFP)
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Blinken Speaks to Israel’s Dermer about Humanitarian Situation in Gaza

 A man sits on rubble of a house destroyed in an Israeli strike at the Nuseirat refugee camp, central Gaza Strip, on November 12, 2024, amid the ongoing war between Israel and the Palestinian group Hamas. (AFP)
A man sits on rubble of a house destroyed in an Israeli strike at the Nuseirat refugee camp, central Gaza Strip, on November 12, 2024, amid the ongoing war between Israel and the Palestinian group Hamas. (AFP)

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken emphasized the importance of improving the humanitarian situation in Gaza in a meeting with Israeli Minister of Strategic Affairs Ron Dermer in Washington on Monday, the State Department said.

Dermer updated Blinken on operational changes and policy decisions taken by Israel in response to a US letter sent in October, the department said in a statement on Tuesday.

Blinken "emphasized the importance of ensuring those changes lead to an actual improvement in the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza, including through the delivery of additional assistance to civilians throughout Gaza," State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said in the statement.