Latest news with #ArabSummit
Shafaq News
6 hours ago
- Business
- Shafaq News
President Aoun to revive Lebanon-Iraq relations: Focus on energy, debt and trade
Shafaq News/ Lebanese President Joseph Aoun's upcoming visit to Baghdad aims to revive ties with Iraq, focusing on energy cooperation, debt resolution, and economic partnership, according to political analyst George Al-Aqouri. 'Aoun will seek to expand the 2021 fuel deal, under which Iraq supplied Lebanon with one million tons of fuel oil annually,' Al-Aqouri told Shafaq News. Talks may also cover leasing natural gas and restarting the Kirkuk–Tripoli pipeline, currently halted by sanctions on Syria. Despite owing Iraq over $2 billion—including $1.2 billion from the fuel deal—Lebanon has paid only $118 million. Iraq has continued deliveries, which he described as 'a gesture of Arab solidarity.' The visit could also advance cooperation in agriculture, tourism, and infrastructure. With rising numbers of Iraqi tourists, Al-Aqouri urged both sides to ease travel and promote local trade for mutual benefit. On the political front, the analyst said both countries share a commitment to sovereignty and non-interference, noting, 'Lebanon is trying to reclaim full authority and block proxy influence,' he noted. Aoun's trip follows his absence from the Arab Summit in Baghdad, seen by some as a 'missed diplomatic opportunity.' The visit is now viewed as a step toward resolving outstanding issues and reestablishing coordination.
Iraqi News
4 days ago
- Politics
- Iraqi News
PM: The Arab and Development Summits reflected Iraq's strength and role
PM Muhammed S. Al-Sudani met on Saturday a delegation of Arab media professionals who participated in the 4th Arab Media Conference, held in Baghdad last week. Al-Sudani emphasized "the essential role of responsible and objective media in conveying facts to the public, especially concerning confronting challenges." "Iraq is witnessing a qualitative shift across various aspects of life, public services, and development," he noted. He also highlighted "the country's substantial efforts in launching strategic projects aimed at strengthening the national economy and achieving comprehensive integration, alongside ongoing infrastructure development and sustainable growth across all sectors." "These advancements reaffirm Iraq's central and leading role in the region and its expanding engagement on the global stage," he pointed out, stressing that "the outcomes of both the Arab Summit and the Arab Development Summit, recently held in Baghdad, reflected Iraq's strength and its capacity to shape regional and international solutions." Al-Sudani underscored "Iraq's growing stature serves as a pillar of strength for the Arab world, promoting regional stability, development, and shared interests, while expanding opportunities for deeper integration with neighboring Arab nations." PM Al-Sudani paid "solemn tribute to the martyrs of the press who lost their lives during the aggression on Gaza and southern Lebanon," honoring "the sacrifices they made in exposing the suffering of the Palestinian people and bringing to light the crimes of genocide committed against them." In turn, the visiting Arab media delegation extended its "congratulations to the Prime Minister on the successful hosting of the two summits in Baghdad, " commending "the rapid progress Iraq is achieving across multiple sectors." They praised the country's ongoing reconstruction and development drive, describing it as a 'transformative chapter' in Iraq's modern journey.
Iraqi News
4 days ago
- Business
- Iraqi News
Al-Sudani: The government took decisive steps in the oil and gas sector
PM Muhammed S. Al-Sudani met on Saturday with U.S. Senators Angus King and James Lankford, along with their accompanying delegation. Al-Sudani emphasized "the importance of bilateral relations with the United States and Iraq's aspiration to further develop and strengthen them across various fields, particularly in the sectors of economy, energy, investment, and culture, within the Iraq-US Strategic Framework Agreement." He referred to Iraq's relationship with the International Coalition in light of ongoing discussions regarding "the transition to a new phase of security cooperation focused on advising and capacity-building for Iraqi security forces." "There is a notable stability in Iraq, which has positively impacted the country's economic and developmental landscape," he added. He affirmed that the government has taken decisive steps in the oil and gas sector, as it achieved significant progress that will enhance cooperation and investment with the US companies in this field. The delegation members congratulated Al-Sudani on Iraq's successful hosting of the Arab Summit and the Development Summit as well as the country's growing role in contributing to regional stability. They expressed admiration for "Iraq's notable progress in construction and development, as well as the government's success across various areas." The U.S. senators showed their interest in strengthening cooperation between the two countries across all sectors.
Observer
6 days ago
- Politics
- Observer
A reflection on Trump's tour and Arab Summit
Last week two parallel scenes were seen in the shifting political landscape of the Middle East. On one side, US President Donald Trump toured three Gulf states, emerging with massive investment, industrial, and defence agreements reportedly worth trillions of dollars - described by some as 'historic.' On the other, an Arab Summit was held in Baghdad to reaffirm long-standing positions on the Palestinian cause, though it failed to move beyond rhetorical declarations into any concrete response to the atrocities unfolding in Gaza. Meanwhile, the massacre in Gaza continued unabated - on a scale that even Israel's traditional backers in the West struggled to defend. Entire neighbourhoods have been flattened, famine is deepening, and medical aid is practically non-existent. Despite this humanitarian catastrophe, Gaza found no mention in Trump's transactional itinerary -neither in the deals nor on the diplomatic margins. There wasn't even a symbolic statement of concern. This silence alone illustrates where the Palestinian cause stands, even in the very forums most closely tied to the region's future. The prioritisation of deals over diplomacy is hardly novel in American foreign policy, but under Trump it has taken on an overt bluntness. His current approach fuses politics and profit with unapologetic clarity. His Gulf tour resulted in sweeping contracts covering everything from energy to artificial intelligence and missile systems - casting the US-Gulf relationship in unmistakably commercial terms, what could be called 'political capitalism.' From a strategic viewpoint, this framework reproduces an old formula: security guarantees in exchange for capital and influence. But behind its polished facade lies a troubling imbalance. While Washington secures economic and technological leverage, regional actors appear increasingly bound to the dictates of an external security architecture - one that turns a blind eye to war crimes when convenient. In this context, even genocide in Gaza elicits no meaningful response. The Arab Summit in Baghdad, meanwhile, was meant to embody Arab unity during a time of extreme urgency. Yet its final statement was little more than a repetition of familiar slogans - calling for international action, support for Palestinian rights, and mere condemnations. No concrete measures were offered. No diplomatic initiative was announced. No collective financial commitment was made. In effect, the summit failed to offer even the most basic response to the systematic destruction of Gaza - a catastrophe widely described by human rights groups as genocide. This failure speaks not only of the emptiness of the summit's communique but to a deeper paralysis within the Arab political order. Chronic divisions, misaligned priorities, and weak collective resolve have reduced such gatherings to ceremonial displays rather than mechanisms of action. And while time is of the essence, and Gaza's crisis worsens by the hour, Arab diplomacy remains suspended in abstractions. On the ground in Gaza, death continues at an unbearable pace. Bombardments do not cease. Starvation grows. Clean water and medicine have disappeared. Yet the Israeli campaign shows no defined political objective - only the cold efficiency of annihilation. Every aspect of Palestinian life has been rendered a 'security threat' - including infants buried beneath the rubble of maternity wards. Perhaps most disturbing is the near-total absence of international deterrence. The global community is distracted. Human rights organisations lack real enforcement tools. The International Criminal Court stands paralysed by geopolitics and vetoes. Even the principles that underpinned modern democracy - dignity, liberty, and the sanctity of life - appear hollow when the victim is a Palestinian. The sight of fathers gathering the limbs of their children in plastic bags has become both a symbol of tragedy and a searing indictment of international hypocrisy. Unless a serious reckoning takes place - one that asks what purpose these summits and multi-billion-dollar deals serve if they cannot acknowledge Gaza - the gap between Arab governments and their people will grow wider. How can states proclaim a commitment to justice while refusing to leverage their political and economic clout to halt a genocide? How can they speak of 'shared values' while children die of hunger under the ruins of their homes? To abandon the Palestinian cause is not merely a moral failure - it is a strategic error. As the political vacuum grows, it will inevitably be filled with more radical voices and unpredictable consequences. Every deal inked without a moral clause deepens complicity. Every summit that fails to act feeds the impression that Arab diplomacy has become disconnected from both its people and its principles. What last week's events have laid bare is a region reordering its priorities in ways that defy its own ethical charter. While billions are committed to building the industries of the future, Gaza's children are left to die unacknowledged. If there is one truth to take from this moment, it is that genuine regional stability cannot be built upon the graves of its people. No prosperity worth having can be founded on rubble soaked in blood. (Translated by Badr al Dhafari and the original version of the article appeared in Arabic in Oman newspaper's print version on May 18)
Iraqi News
6 days ago
- Politics
- Iraqi News
From Baghdad: The Arab Media Conference Redraws the Map of Environmental Awareness to Confront Climate Change
Baghdad - INA The capital, Baghdad, continues for the second consecutive day hosting the fourth session of the Arab Media Conference. This exceptional event confirms Iraq's strong return to the Arab and international arenas as a center for dialogue and coordination on the crucial issues facing our nation. This conference comes at a crucial time, following two Arab summits that addressed political and economic issues and challenges. It represents a strategic extension of those discussions, focusing on the pivotal role of the media in keeping pace with and analyzing these challenges, as well as providing space for the most important issue at the conference related to the challenge of climate change and guiding Arab public opinion towards comprehensive environmental awareness. The conference, organized by the Iraqi Media Network, is attended by broad participation from Arab and international experts and media decision-makers. This reflects the genuine national desire to consolidate Iraq's position as an effective center in formulating contemporary media policies, particularly in the areas of the environment, security, and public health. This conference embodies a shared Arab aspiration to redefine the role of media as a tool for development and to provide solutions to address climate change. It also demonstrates Iraq's natural role at the heart of the Arab world, culturally, politically, and media-wise. Priority to Discussing the Challenge of Climate Change Basil Al-Zoubi, Director of the Technology Department at the Arab Broadcasting Union, told the Iraqi News Agency (INA): "Holding the Arab Media Conference in Baghdad aims to discuss important topics in which the media plays a significant role in raising awareness of the dangers of climate change. This is a topic that affects all segments of society and the state, and is a sensitive issue that concerns national security, whether health, the environment, or society." He pointed out that "the Iraqi Media Network was keen to host the conference and focus on this topic," explaining that "holding the conference in Baghdad is part of the activities and interests of the Iraqi state after hosting the Arab Summit. This strengthens Iraq's role on the Arab and media scene in general in the field of environmental conservation and addressing environmental issues, thus preserving the security of individuals and citizens, both in Iraq and at the regional and Arab levels." He added, "The conference will certainly produce a set of recommendations, especially since there is a group of experts in various specialties and orientations from various countries around the world specializing in environmental, media, economic, and other fields. Therefore, the recommendations emerging from the conference must be highly applicable and implementable." An agenda with important topics For his part, Raed Al-Jubouri, Director of the Department of Arab Organizations and Federations in the Economic Affairs Sector at the League of Arab States, told the Iraqi News Agency (INA): "The importance of holding the Arab Media Conference in Baghdad stems from its being held after two Arab summits: the regular summit and the development summit." He pointed out that "the Iraqi Media Network's hosting of this conference is very important, especially given the importance of the topic being discussed, related to climate change. Furthermore, it is the first time that it is being held outside the headquarters of the Arab Broadcasting Union, in Baghdad, and hosted by the Iraqi Media Network." For his part, Abdulrahman Nasser Al-Obaidan, media advisor to the office of the Chairman of the Qatar Media Corporation, told the Iraqi News Agency (INA): "The agenda of the Arab Media Conference is very important because of the topics it raises that are of interest to Arab citizens." He explained, "We are in our country today, among our brothers, and we have visited Baghdad several times, but there is a vast difference between yesterday and today." He continued, "We are witnessing clear progress in Iraq, and we congratulate the officials and wish Baghdad and the people of Iraq progress and development." He explained, "The Arab Media Conference is an important conference and one of the issues we focus on through the Arab League, whether through the Permanent Committee for Arab Media or through the Executive Council, to hold such conferences, given their importance, especially in light of the current situation in the region and the events taking place in the region and Gaza. We wish all our brothers success in this conference, and hope that it will yield recommendations that are of interest to Arab citizens in general and Arab media in particular."
