Cairo, Egypt: The 32nd Conference of the Arab Inter-Parliamentary Union (AIPU) was recently held in Cairo under the theme, “Arab Solidarity.”
Mr. Saqr Ghobash, Speaker of the Federal National Council (FNC) and President of AIPU, chaired the conference which witnessed the participation of heads of Arab parliaments and representatives of Arab, regional and international organizations who acted as observers, along with Ahmed Aboul Gheit, Arab League Secretary-General.
During his address, Mr. Ghobash highlighted that the conference is being held amidst rapid regional and international developments that require Arab countries to cooperate and be aware of risks and their effects on Arab security.
The FNC Speaker emphasized that the adverse effects of foreign interventions in the internal affairs of Arab countries, which require the drafting of an Arab parliamentary vision and not just condemnation.
Mr. Ghobash praised the Arab League’s Resolution No. 8725 issued in January 2022, which called upon all countries to categorize the Houthis as a terrorist group after their attacks on civilian facilities in Saudi Arabia and the UAE that violate the United Nations (UN) Charter, international humanitarian law and relevant international conventions.
The AIPU President also stressed the conference’s closing declaration must confirm the content of the Arab League’s resolution.
Meanwhile, Mr. Aboul Gheit remarked that the Arab region is still recovering while noting the consecutive geopolitical threats and ongoing security, economic and social threats affecting the region.
Mr. Gheit further added that the ongoing crises are an ideal environment for incubating terrorism and extremism and the spread of militias and armed groups, while highlighting the terrorist attacks against civilian facilities in the UAE.
The Arab League Secretary-General condemned ”in the strongest terms” the Houthi attacks against Saudi Arabia and the UAE. The militia pose a serious threat to regional security and the safety of navigation, considering the major importance of Yemen’s strategic location on the Red Sea, Mr. Gheit added.
The fight against terrorism is ongoing, and Arab parliaments must assist the efforts of their states and governments to highlight the dangers of terrorism and its threat to the cohesion and stability of communities, as well as the process of development, the Arab League Secretary-General said in conclusion.