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.



Saudi EXIM Hosts Global Risk Experts Meeting in Riyadh

The event gathered specialists from 47 organizations from 33 countries; it served as a platform for discussing strategies, partnerships, and innovative solutions. - SPA
The event gathered specialists from 47 organizations from 33 countries; it served as a platform for discussing strategies, partnerships, and innovative solutions. - SPA
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Saudi EXIM Hosts Global Risk Experts Meeting in Riyadh

The event gathered specialists from 47 organizations from 33 countries; it served as a platform for discussing strategies, partnerships, and innovative solutions. - SPA
The event gathered specialists from 47 organizations from 33 countries; it served as a platform for discussing strategies, partnerships, and innovative solutions. - SPA

The Saudi Export-Import Bank (Saudi EXIM) hosted the Berne Union's Country Risk Specialist Meeting, providing a platform for experts and thought leaders in risk management from the export credit community.
At the meeting, which took place from November 19 to 21 in Riyadh, the attendees exchanged best practices to better protect the industry amid shifting global dynamics.
According to a press release issued by the Saudi EXIM on Saturday, the event gathered specialists from 47 organizations from 33 countries; it served as a platform for discussing strategies, partnerships, and innovative solutions.
By strengthening institutional resilience, the industry is ready to turn global economic challenges into opportunities for economic prosperity, said the release, adding that it played a crucial role in advancing global trade, strengthening international cooperation, and developing credit solutions that empower export activities while controlling risk, SPA reported.
According to the release, discussions centered on critical risks impacting international trade and the global economy, such as debt sustainability and geopolitical tensions, along with innovative approaches to risk modelling. Participants also explored the global shifts in infrastructure, energy and critical minerals sectors, and were given an overview of Saudi Arabia's National Industrial Strategy, which focuses on economic diversification through investments, developing new sectors, and promoting local industries.
In his opening remarks, Saudi EXIM CEO Eng. Saad bin Abdulaziz Al-Khalb said the meeting is an ideal platform to address risks impacting global economic decision making.
He stated: "Through such meetings, we can turn challenges into strategic opportunities and enhance our resilience in an ever-changing world. At Saudi EXIM, we remain committed to enabling companies by offering expert financial and non-financial solutions to navigate risks effectively."
He also said that "at Saudi EXIM, we place great emphasis on risk management. In alignment with the main objective of this meeting, I am pleased to announce the completion of our independent country risk model, which is supported by advanced modelling tools and machine learning. This model will provide country ratings and predictions of default risks. We look forward to collaborating with our partners in other export credit agencies to exchange knowledge and expertise, and to strengthening our risk management functions with greater responsibility and effectiveness."
Associate Director at Berne Union Eve Hall said: "The global risk landscape today is highly volatile and highly interconnected. As we navigate our way around the ongoing transformations connected to energy transition and shifting industrial strategies, the traditional concept of 'country risk' is becoming increasingly complex. Our industry excels at understanding, quantifying and pricing these risks, and by bringing together this community of experts for technical exchange the Berne Union is able to help support the development of the industry as a whole. The initiatives announced by our colleagues at Saudi EXIM, making use of new technology in risk analysis, provide a fantastic example of where collaboration in this field can be effectively applied."
The release disclosed that Saudi EXIM's membership in Berne represents a significant strategic step, and is consistent with the Kingdom's commitment to expanding collaboration and integration in the global economy.
This is achieved by building partnerships with leading institutions to address the challenges facing the export credit sector. It also aligns with the bank's goal of developing the export of national products and services through partnerships with national and international financial and funding organizations.
Berne Union works with global trade organizations to encourage the adoption of best practices in export credit insurance, and to cooperate in maintaining the stability of global trade.
Saudi EXIM, a development bank under the National Development Fund, contributes to diversifying the Kingdom's economic base by improving the efficiency of non-oil export ecosystems, bridging financial gaps, and minimizing export risks. This plays a role in helping the non-oil national economy grow, in line with Vision 2030.