Sudan finalized preparations to host Arab summit
Mar 18, 2006 (KHARTOUM) — Arrangements were finalized for hosting the Arab Summit in Khartoum during 28-29 March, while the Arab presidents and kings have expressed their readiness to participate in the Summit.
The summit is regarded as very important in the current time while the Arab and international arenas are witnessing several developments and challenges.
The minister at the presidency of the republic and chairman of the higher preparatory committee for summit, Gen Bakri Hassan Salih, said at the press forum of the state-run SUNA Saturday 18 March that these developments have created several issues and challenges that affect the future of all Arab World.
Bakri said that the absence of Sultan Gabos of Oman and Zeinal-Abdeen Bin Ali of Tunisia from the summit was confirmed, adding that the responses received by the Presidency were satisfactory.
He indicated that the activities of the summit started at the level of experts’ meeting Saturday in Cairo, adding that the first activity of the summit also started in Khartoum within the context of the prospects of Afro-Arab cooperation, with the participation of the Secretariat General of the Arab League and the African Union.
The second activity will be the meeting of the Arab Ministers for Finance and Economy in Khartoum on March 23.
Regarding the inaugural session of the Arab Summit on March 28, Salih said he expects the Algerian president Abdel-Aziz Boutaflika, president Al-Bashir and the Secretary General of the United Nations to address the sitting.
He also said he expects that a symposium on scientific research in the Arab World would be held under chairmanship of Abdalla Ahmed Abdallah to look into promotion of research issues.
Bakri affirmed that the committee has completed its arrangement concerning airports, with alternatives available in case of bad weather, for receiving Arab leaders
(ST)