Thursday, January 20th 2011
Economic Summit: Arab leaders agree to unify Arab State customs laws and activate WBI
Sharm al-Sheikh, The assembled Arab leaders at the Arab League Economic Summit in Egypt agreed on Wednesday to complete the unification of customs laws in the Arab states by the end of 2012, with a view to establishing the Arab Common Market in 2020.
Hashem Mohammed Hatem, Director General of Foreign Economic Relations in the Iraqi Trade Ministry told AKnews that along with unifying customs regulations, the leaders have agreed to activate the World Bank Initiative (WBI) for the Arab world, supporting economic cooperation and knowledge sharing across the Arab League nations.
The WBI covers the implementation of major infrastructure projects including roads, maritime transport, electricity supply networks and renewable energy. Also included in the initiative is the development of labor markets across the region by supporting small and medium industries, as well as investment in human resource development and linking education to labor market outcomes.
Hatem said that the scope of the talks went beyond Arab State unity and covered the forging of new partnerships outside the League nations, citing “China, India, Japan, Turkey, Russia and African countries and the countries of South America,” as examples.
Participating leaders stressed the importance of economic unity Hatem explained, “…continuing to support their role as partners in the (forward) march of Arab development and interaction with them for the benefit of our countries and peoples”.
The Arab League Economic Summit in Sharm al-Sheikh was opened on Wednesday by the Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak. The summit, a gathering of Arab leaders, civil society organizations, chambers of commerce and businessmen, aims to coordinate efforts for the economic integration of the Arab states an overview the completion of projects agreed upon in the 2009 economic summit in Kuwait.
President Jalal Talabani is at the head of the Iraqi delegation to the Summit which includes the Deputy Prime Minister Rozh Nouri Shawis, the Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari, and Iraq's representative to the Arab League, Qais al-Azzawi.
http://www.aknews.com/en/aknews/2/212001/
Economic Summit: Arab leaders agree to unify Arab State customs laws and activate WBI
Sharm al-Sheikh, The assembled Arab leaders at the Arab League Economic Summit in Egypt agreed on Wednesday to complete the unification of customs laws in the Arab states by the end of 2012, with a view to establishing the Arab Common Market in 2020.
Hashem Mohammed Hatem, Director General of Foreign Economic Relations in the Iraqi Trade Ministry told AKnews that along with unifying customs regulations, the leaders have agreed to activate the World Bank Initiative (WBI) for the Arab world, supporting economic cooperation and knowledge sharing across the Arab League nations.
The WBI covers the implementation of major infrastructure projects including roads, maritime transport, electricity supply networks and renewable energy. Also included in the initiative is the development of labor markets across the region by supporting small and medium industries, as well as investment in human resource development and linking education to labor market outcomes.
Hatem said that the scope of the talks went beyond Arab State unity and covered the forging of new partnerships outside the League nations, citing “China, India, Japan, Turkey, Russia and African countries and the countries of South America,” as examples.
Participating leaders stressed the importance of economic unity Hatem explained, “…continuing to support their role as partners in the (forward) march of Arab development and interaction with them for the benefit of our countries and peoples”.
The Arab League Economic Summit in Sharm al-Sheikh was opened on Wednesday by the Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak. The summit, a gathering of Arab leaders, civil society organizations, chambers of commerce and businessmen, aims to coordinate efforts for the economic integration of the Arab states an overview the completion of projects agreed upon in the 2009 economic summit in Kuwait.
President Jalal Talabani is at the head of the Iraqi delegation to the Summit which includes the Deputy Prime Minister Rozh Nouri Shawis, the Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari, and Iraq's representative to the Arab League, Qais al-Azzawi.
http://www.aknews.com/en/aknews/2/212001/
