Baghdad: Iraq’s Minister of Trade Atheer Al-Ghurairi affirmed on Monday that current challenges in the Arab region necessitate unity and integrated efforts. Al-Ghurairi made the statement during a speech in the extraordinary session of the Arab League’s Social and Economic Council, which is tasked with preparing for the fifth council’s meeting to be held in Baghdad, concurrently with the ordinary Arab Summit in May.
According to Kuwait News Agency, the minister emphasized, “We are sure that sincere cooperation among our countries is able to overcome crises and achieve desired development.” He extended an invitation to the Arab trade and economy ministers to attend the two meetings and noted that Iraq has announced fulfilling all preparations necessary for the success of the two summits, stressing the importance of the session’s topics.
The minister stated that all recommendations from the council’s meeting would be included in the Arab Summit slated for May 17, which will contribute to boosting joint Arab action. He highlighted that the Arab Trade Ministers’ Council represents a true translation of achieving economic integration by encouraging executive steps toward setting up the Arab free zone.
The session’s agenda included multiple topics, among them Iraq’s proposal to establish a Council of Arab Trade Ministers similar to other ministerial councils in the Arab League. This proposal underscores the importance of addressing the economic situation in light of the current challenges facing the region.