Friday May 16, 2025
Mogadishu (HOL) – Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud is set to depart for Baghdad, Iraq, on Friday to participate in the 34th Arab League Summit, scheduled to begin on May 17.
The summit is expected to bring together leaders from across the Arab world to address pressing regional challenges, with a heavy focus on the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, regional stability, counterterrorism, and economic integration.
The summit will be held under the theme "Dialogue, Solidarity and Development," reflecting a shared commitment among Arab states to confront both security threats and humanitarian emergencies, particularly the ongoing Israeli war on Gaza, which has claimed nearly 53,000 lives since October 2023.
According to Iraqi government spokesperson Bassem al-Awadi, Arab foreign ministers have finalized the summit's agenda, prioritizing the Palestinian cause, strengthening Arab national security, and enhancing joint economic and climate resilience strategies.
The agenda includes eight main items covering joint Arab efforts, with the Palestinian issue, Arab national security and counterterrorism leading the priorities, he added.
The ministers' proposals will be presented to heads of state and government at the 34th session of the Arab League Council at the summit level, Awadi noted.
He outlined five key files on the agenda: two reports—one on the 33rd summit's outcomes and commitments and another on joint Arab efforts by the league's secretary-general; the Palestinian cause and Arab-Israeli conflict, encompassing five detailed items; Arab affairs and national security, addressing 11 regional crises; climate change and shared Arab security, alongside the venue for the 35th summit; and Arab nominations for regional and international institutional roles.
Earlier, an Arab ministerial meeting kicked off in Baghdad to prepare for the annual Arab summit. The ministers started arriving Wednesday to participate.