BEIRUT (Halbeeg News) – Arab leaders have jointly agreed on the formation of Arab Free Trade Zone at the conclusion of the Arab Economic and Social Development Summit.
In a day-long discussion, the leaders from 20 member states have agreed on a 29-item economic agenda with the possibility of the completion of the requirements to establish the Arab Customs Union.
The leaders issued a joint statement called the Beirut Declaration which called for the international community to support countries hosting refugees and displaced people.
In his opening speech, Lebanon President Michel Aoun had called for encouraging the “safe return of displaced Syrians”, saying that the process should not be linked to a political solution in the war-torn country.
Lebanon, which hosts hundreds of thousands of Syrian refugees, called for their return to Syria after President Bashar al-Assad regained control of most of the country. Other countries had insisted this discussion be linked to a political solution.
President Michel has called on all Arab to join the bloc which seeks the strategic vision to promote and activate joint Arab work between the tourism and culture sectors in Arab states.
“We wished for this summit to be an occasion to bring together all the Arabs, leaving no vacant seats,” the host, President Michel Aoun of Lebanon, lamented in a speech that kicked off Sunday’s gathering. “Yet the hurdles were unfortunately stronger.”
The League’s secretary general Abul Gheit announced that the next Arab economic summit would be held in Mauritania’s capital Nouakchott in 2023, adding that the four-year break would provide time for the summit objectives to be achieved.
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