Monday’s five-way summit in the Egyptian city of El-Alamein is a further
indication that the region’s leaders are moving along parallel tracks to
formulate a new working relationship in a fast-changing world.
اضافة اعلان
Hosted by Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sissi,
the meeting brought together His Majesty King Abdullah, Bahraini King Hamad bin
Isa Al-Khalifa, UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, and Iraqi
Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kadhimi. This was not the first time that the leaders
held such a meeting to coordinate positions and synchronize policies. Bahrain
is a relatively new addition to this working group.
Each of the countries represented has an interest in
participating in these consultative meetings. The region is facing crucial
challenges as the world faces what can be described as a perfect storm.
The war in Ukraine, now six months old, continues to
rage, with deep impacts on the global economy, not to mention the growing
threat of a proliferation into a nuclear showdown. The conflict has rattled
regional economies with spiking inflation rates, interruption in key supply
chains, currency fluctuations, rise in energy costs, and drying up of direct
foreign investments and aid.
Jordan and Egypt have been particularly vulnerable
to these challenges.
But aside from the economic aspect, the region is
bracing itself for a new set of political challenges. Iraq, for example, is
embroiled in an unprecedented internal conflict that has hampered efforts to
form a new government since the elections last October. Tensions between
various Shiite powers have left the country in a state of paralysis.
Iraq is a key member of an emerging economic
alliance that includes Jordan and Egypt. Recently, the UAE showed interest in
backing this alliance. The aim, other than boosting joint trade and achieving a
sort of economic complementarity, is to distance Iraq from regional
polarization and underline its Arab identity.
While the El-Alamein summit can do little to resolve
Iraq’s political standoff, it can help ameliorate the impact of a crippled
economy, breaking public services, and climate change on people’s lives.
Kadhimi is now heading a caretaker government, with
limited powers, but he can still push on with previously agreed-upon regional
projects, such as the regional electric grid connectivity and the building of a
crucial oil pipeline between Basra and Aqaba port.
The reality is that pragmatism and realism are taking over the region away from ideological polarization and endless conflicts.
The stability of Jordan and Egypt represents a long-term
Gulf national interest. The UAE is in a position to pick up from where the July
Jeddah summit, hosted by Saudi Arabia, left concerning inter-Arab coordination
and economic cooperation.
The UAE has shown interest in backing efforts by
countries like Jordan and Egypt in investing in mega agricultural projects
whose aim is to boost Arab food security. Other GCC countries can also benefit
from securing sources of food from nearby Arab countries.
In addition to expanding cooperation in such vital
areas, the leaders must address regional conflicts that continue to beset the
entire region. These include the Palestinian problem, on which there is
consensus and a clear roadmap, and others such as the Syrian civil war, the
Libyan political impasse, and the shaky truce in Yemen.
The leaders seem to have a common view on the need
to find an end to the Syrian conflict, which includes rehabilitating the Assad
regime.
One other geopolitical issue that must have been
discussed at the meeting is the impact of a possible agreement between the 5+1
group and Iran over Tehran’s nuclear program. Both Kuwait and the UAE have
appointed ambassadors to Iran, especially following the joint position adopted
at the Jeddah summit. Iran’s imminent return to the fold of the international
community and the lifting of international sanctions will be a regional game
changer and all those attending the El-Alamein summit will benefit from a
united stand.
These meetings are taking place as new
alliances/ties are built or restored across the region with effects on each and
every country. Four of the countries represented at the summit have ties with
Israel. Turkey is restoring diplomatic relations with Israel as it hints at
starting dialogue with Damascus. The reality is that pragmatism and realism are
taking over the region away from ideological polarization and endless
conflicts.
It is important to note that the mini-summit in
Egypt took place as the fate of the annual Arab summit, slated to be held in
Algeria, hangs in the balance. With the Arab League and its institutions
appearing dysfunctional and irrelevant, Arab countries, especially those with
shared interests and common goals, cannot afford to waste time when the world
and the region are fast changing.
Osama Al Sharif is a journalist and political commentator based in Amman.
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