Alwaght- Arab League leaders are gathering in the Iraqi capital Baghdad today to discuss and trade views on the fundamental challenges of West Asia, especially the Palestinian crisis. The summit is being held under the title "Dialogue, Solidarity and Development" with the aim of finding common solutions to regional cases.
In addition to the heads of Arab countries, a number of heads of regional and international organizations, led by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, along with Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez and prominent international figures, are participating in the summit.
However, some countries are not attending the summit at the leaders level. Syrian interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa is not attending, and the country's foreign minister is heading the Syrian delegation. Also, none of the six (Persian) Gulf Arab monarchies are attending the summit at the leaders level.
Commenting on the agenda of the summit, Iraqi government spokesman Bassem al-Awadi said: "Iraq has prepared 18 strategic initiatives that will be discussed during three summits." These initiatives have been distributed between the regular Arab League summit, the Fifth Economic and Development Summit, as well as the trilateral cooperation mechanism of Iraq, Egypt and Jordan, which will be held on the sidelines of the main summit.
Among the most prominent items raised in this package of initiatives are: the initiative of the Council of Arab Trade Ministers, achieving food security, and the Arab economic reform period for the future, providing safe shelters for those affected by disasters, increasing housing security, and also initiatives to increase cooperation to combat the effects of climate change.
"The initiatives presented by Iraq reflect a clear vision to shore up Arab cooperation in the security, economic and political fields," Deputy Secretary-General of the Arab League Hossam Zaki said in this relation.
According to Al-Sabah news agency, the agenda of the opening session in Baghdad will include the official handover of the presidency of the 34th Arab Summit from Bahrain to Iraq after the speech of the Bahraini representative.
After that, the speech of the Iraqi representative as the president of the 34th session, the speech of Ahmed Abu al-Gheit, secretary-general of the Arab League, then the speeches of the guests and then the speeches of the Arab leaders will be delivered. Subsequently, the participants will hold a closed working session in which the agenda will be approved and draft statements and decisions will be discussed.
At the end of the meeting, a public one will be held with the presence of the media and official guests, which will include the reading of the Baghdad Declaration, the closing speech of the Iraqi representative as the president of the conference, and then a state speech.
Concerning the fifth regular session of the Arab leaders' Development, Economic and Social Summit, the meeting is also scheduled to begin with an opening session in which the Lebanese representative, as the chairman of the previous session of the development summit, will deliver a speech, followed by a speech by the Iraqi representative, as the chairman of the current session of the development summit, as well as a speech by the Secretary-General of the Arab League and speeches by the heads of delegations.
With Iraq hosting the Arab League summit, there are high expectations that the country will play an active role in supporting the Palestinian cause and managing regional challenges. Due to its geopolitical location, balanced relations with the countries of the Resistance Axis and the Arab world, and efforts to revive its historical role in regional politics, Iraq is now in a position to act as an effective mediator for regional unity and convergence.
What does Iraq seek behind hosting the summit?
Amid regional chaos, Iraq has set its own goals behind holding the summit. Baghdad is seeking to strengthen its position as an active actor and mediator in regional developments. Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammad Shia al-Sudani sees the summit as a historic opportunity to redefine the path of Arab cooperation and present joint initiatives in political and economic fields.
By hosting the Arab League summit, Iraq is trying to highlight its special geopolitical role in West Asia and act as a bridge linking various regional camps. Iraq’s geographical location in the heart of West Asia, strategic relations with Iran, and at the same time good relations with the Arab countries of the Persian Gulf, have placed the country in a unique position to mediate and create balance.
With this move, Iraq wants to send a clear message to the world that it seeks to return to the active stage of regional diplomacy, defend the rights of the Palestinian people, and strive to create a new order based on cooperation and dialogue in the Islamic world.
Another priority for Iraq in hosting the Arab League summit is to focus on economic development and advancing economic cooperation with Arab countries. In recent years, Iraq's various governments have consistently faced challenges such as dependence on oil, unemployment, poor infrastructure, and a lack of foreign investment. Therefore, the Baghdad summit is seen as an important opportunity to attract financial and technical support from wealthy Arab countries, especially those of the Persian Gulf.
Additionally, Iraqi officials have repeatedly stressed that sustainable economic development requires regional cooperation and boost of trade and joint investment. Therefore, Baghdad is trying to sign agreements with Arab countries in the fields of energy, infrastructure, agriculture and technology on the sidelines of Baghdad summit to pave the way for economic growth and cut dependence on oil revenues. Initial estimates indicate that the value of trade between Arab countries exceeded $550 billion in 2024, accounting for approximately 18-20 percent of the total Arab trade.
Iraq also wants to present a new image of itself as a stable country ready for economic cooperation. These efforts are part of Baghdad’s long-term strategy to become a communication, economic and transit hub in West Asia that will both strengthen domestic interests and enhance the country’s regional position.
Iraq seeks to consolidate its role as a vital corridor connecting East to West and linking Turkey to the Persian Gulf. Located in the geopolitical center of West Asia, the country is in a prime position to become a key transit route between Asia, Europe, and the Arab world.
One of Iraq’s strategic plans in this regard is the “Development Road” project, which aims to create a rail and road route from the port of Al-Faw in southern Iraq to the Turkish border. This project could turn Iraq into a trade highway between China, Turkey, Iran, and the Arab world. The Arab League summit is an opportunity to secure Arab investments in these projects and garner political support to strengthen Baghdad’s transit position.
By highlighting this role at the Baghdad summit, Iraq seeks to reduce its dependence on oil revenues, enhance its economic and strategic position in the region, and rise as an active economic player in the region and beyond, as a strategic link between the East and the West.
Restoring Palestinian cause to the center of Muslim world focus
As one of the branches of the Resistance camp, Iraq must strive to revive the cry of support for Palestine and the people of Gaza in the Arab League, which has gradually subsided, and to bring the Palestinian cause back to the center of focus of the Muslim world. Since the beginning of the Gaza war in October 2023, many member states have adopted strong positions against the crimes of the Israeli regime in Arab League meetings, but over time, political issues and international pressures have led to a gradual decrease in this support.
In this context, relying on its geopolitical position and its simultaneous relations with Iran and the Arab monarchies of the Persian Gulf, Baghdad should try to reform Islamic unity in support of Palestine. In this regard, Iraqi officials, including PM al-Sudani, have stressed that Palestine remains the “central cause” of the Arab world and that the Baghdad summit will be an platform to redefine this priority.
Media outlets report that Baghdad is trying to present a diplomatic initiative based on which practical and more coherent support for the people of Gaza and the Palestinian resistance will be provided. From Baghdad’s perspective, returning the Palestinian issue to the top of the Arab League’s agenda is key not only from a political perspective but also from a moral and humanitarian perspective. So, Iraq is showing by these arrangements that it wants to take advantage of its position to revive Islamic solidarity with Gaza against Israeli aggression and play a more active role in determining the future course of the region.
This summit provides an opportunity to enhance Arab unity and Islamic convergence, and provide economic, political, and security initiatives. It is expected to produce acceptable results if it catalyzes a new approach in the Arab and Islamic policy and encourages dialogue and collective support to the major Islamic issues, especially the Palestinian cause. However, if differences among the Muslim countries linger, setting hopes on such meetings for settling regional challenges will be of no avail.
