Arab League - 7x.nl
League of Arab States جامعة الدول العربية
Jāmiʻat ad-Duwal al-ʻArabiyya
Flag Headquarters Cairo, Egypt1 Official languages Arabic Membership Leaders - Secretary General Amr Moussa (since 2001) - Council of
the Arab LeagueSyria - Speaker of
the Arab ParliamentNabih Berri Establishment - Alexandria Protocol March 22, 1945 Area - Total area with Western Sahara 13,953,041 km2 (2nd2)
5,382,910 sq mi- Area excluding Western Sahara 13,687,041 km2 (5,280,291 sq mi) Population - 2007 estimate 339,510,535 (3rd2) - Density 24.33/km2
63/sq miGDP (PPP) 2008 estimate - Total $2,604,639 million (6th2) - Per capita $7,672 (92nd) Currency
ISO 4217 codes bracketed:
Yemeni rial (YER)
Algerian dinar (DZB)
Bahraini dinar (BHD)
Comorian franc (KMF)
Djiboutian franc (DJF)
Egyptian pound (EGP)
Iraqi dinar (IQD)
Jordanian dinar (JD)
Kuwaiti dinar (KWD)
Lebanese livre (LL, LBP)
Libyan dinar (LYD)
Mauritanian ouguiya (MRO)
Moroccan dirham (MAD)
Omani rial (OMR)
Qatari riyal (QAR)
Saudi riyal (SAR)
Somali shilling (SOS)
Sudanese pound (SDD)
Syrian pound (SYP)
Tunisian dinar (TND)
United Arab Emirates dirham (AED)Time zone (UTC+0 to +4) Website
(Arabic) http://arableagueonline.org1 From 1979 to 1989: Tunis, Tunisia 2 If ranked among nation states.
This article contains Arabic text, written from right to left in a cursive style with some letters joined. Without proper rendering support, you may see unjoined Arabic letters written left-to-right instead of right-to-left or other symbols instead of Arabic script. The Arab League (Arabic: الجامعة العربية al-Jāmiʻa al-ʻArabiyya), officially called the League of Arab States (Arabic: جامعة الدول العربية Jāmiʻat ad-Duwal al-ʻArabiyya), is a regional organization of Arab states in Southwest Asia, and North and Northeast Africa. It was formed in Cairo on March 22, 1945 with six members: Egypt, Iraq, Transjordan (renamed Jordan after 1946), Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, and Syria. Yemen joined as a member on May 5, 1945. The Arab League currently has 22 members and four observers. The main goal of the league is to "draw closer the relations between member States and co-ordinate collaboration between them, to safeguard their independence and sovereignty, and to consider in a general way the affairs and interests of the Arab countries."[1]
Through institutions such as the Arab League Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organization (ALESCO) and the Economic and Social Council of the Arab League's Council of Arab Economic Unity (CAEU), the Arab League facilitates political, economic, cultural, scientific and social programs designed to promote the interests of the Arab world.[2][3] It has served as a forum for the member states to coordinate their policy positions, to deliberate on matters of common concern, to settle some Arab disputes, and to limit conflicts such as the 1958 Lebanon crisis. The League has served as a platform for the drafting and conclusion of many landmark documents promoting economic integration. One example is the Joint Arab Economic Action Charter which sets out the principles for economic activities in the region.
Each member state has one vote in the League Council, while decisions are binding only for those states that have voted for them. The aims of the league in 1945 were to strengthen and coordinate the political, cultural, economic, and social programs of its members, and to mediate disputes among them or between them and third parties. Furthermore, the signing of an agreement on Joint Defense and Economic Cooperation on April 13, 1950 committed the signatories to coordination of military defense measures.
The Arab league has played an important role in shaping school curricula, advancing the role of women in the Arab societies, promoting child welfare, encouraging youth and sports programs, preserving Arab cultural heritage, and fostering cultural exchanges between the member states.[citation needed] Literacy campaigns have been launched, intellectual works reproduced, and modern technical terminology is translated for the use within member states. The league encourages measures against crime and drug abuse, and deals with labor issues—particularly among the emigrant Arab workforce.
Contents
Members and dates
Main article: Enlargement of the Arab LeagueThe Arab League was founded in Cairo in 1945 by Egypt, Iraq, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Transjordan (Jordan from 1946), and Yemen. There was a continual increase in membership during the second half of the 20th century, with additional 15 Arab states and 4 observers being admitted.
Egypt's membership was suspended in 1979 after it signed the Egyptian–Israeli Peace Treaty, and the League's headquarters were moved from Cairo to Tunis. In 1987, Arab countries restored diplomatic relations with Egypt and the country was readmitted to the league in 1989 while the league's headquarters moved back to Cairo.[4] In September 2006, Venezuela was accepted as an observer, and India in 2007.
Israel is not a member despite 20% of its population being of Arab origin, nearly half the Jewish population being descended from Jews from Arab countries, and Arabic being an official language. Neither is Chad a member, although Arabic is in both official and vernacular use there.
Four countries are observer states — a status that entitles them to express their opinion and give advice but denies them voting rights.[5] Of the four, one (Eritrea) uses Arabic as an official language, and two (Brazil and Venezuela) have large and influential communities of persons of Arab descent (Brazil in particular having nearly twice the Lebanese population of Lebanon itself[citation needed]).
The current members and observers of the Arab League are listed below along with their admission dates.
Joining dates of member states; the Comoros (circled) joined in 1993.
40s 50s 60s 70s
Members Admission date Egypt[6]
March 22, 1945a Iraq[7]
Jordanb[8]
Lebanon[9]
Saudi Arabia[10]
Syria[11]
Yemen[12]
May 5, 1945 Sudan[12]
January 19, 1956 Libya[12]
March 28, 1956c Moroccod[12]
October 1, 1958 Tunisia[12]
Kuwait[12]
July 20, 1961 Algeria[12]
August 16, 1962 Bahrain[12]
September 11, 1971 Qatar[12]
Oman[12]
September 29, 1971 United Arab Emirates[12]
December 6, 1971 Mauritania[12]
November 26, 1973 Somalia[12]
February 14, 1974 Palestinee[13]
September 9, 1976 Djibouti[12]
September 4, 1977 Comoros[citation needed]
November 20, 1993
Observers Admission date Eritrea[14]
observer since 2003 Brazil[15][16][17][18][19]
Venezuela[17][20]
observer since 2006 India[citation needed]
observer since 2007 Notes:
- Note a: Date of foundation.
- Note b: As Transjordan.
- Note c: Libya announced its withdrawal on October 24, 2002, which would have been effective one year later; however, Libya then retracted its decision to withdraw on January 16, 2003, reaffirmed it on April 3, 2003, before retracting it again on May 25, 2003.
- Note d: The sovereignty of Western Sahara is disputed between Morocco and the Polisario Front's Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic government. The Arab League recognizes it as a part of Morocco.
- Note e: Representatives from the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO).
Geography
Administrative divisions in the Arab LeagueMain article: Geography of the Arab LeagueThe area of members of the Arab League covers around 14,000,000 km2 (5,400,000 sq mi) and straddles two continents: Western Asia as well as Northern and Northeastern Africa. The area consists of large arid deserts, namely the Sahara. Nevertheless, it also contains several very fertile lands, such as the Nile Valley, the High Atlas Mountains, and the Fertile Crescent which stretches from Iraq over Syria and Lebanon to Palestine. The area comprises also deep forests in southern Arabia and southern Sudan as well as the major parts of the world's longest river—the Nile.
The area has witnessed the rise and fall of many ancient civilizations: Ancient Egypt, Rome, Ancient Israel, Assyria, Babylon, Phoenicia, Carthage, Kush, and Nabateans.
Governance
Main article: Government of the Arab League
Arab League This article is part of the series:
Life in
the Arab League
The Charter of the Arab League[1] endorsed the principle of an Arab homeland while respecting the sovereignty of the individual member states. The internal regulations of the Council of the League[21] and the committees[22] were agreed in October 1951. Those of the Secretariat-General were agreed in May 1953.[23]
Since then, governance of the Arab League has been based on the duality of supra-national institutions and the sovereignty of the member states. Preservation of individual statehood derived its strengths from the natural preference of ruling elites to maintain their power and independence in decision making. Moreover, the fear of the richer that the poorer may share their wealth in the name of Arab nationalism, the feuds among Arab rulers, and the influence of external powers that might oppose Arab unity can be seen as obstacles towards a deeper integration of the league.
Economy
Main article: Economy of the Arab LeagueThe Arab League is rich in resources, with enormous oil and natural gas resources; it also has great fertile lands in South of the Sudan, usually referred to as the food basket of the Arab World. The region's instability has not affected its tourism industry, that is considered the fastest growing industry in the region, with Egypt, UAE, Algeria, Tunisia, and Jordan leading the way. Another industry that is growing steadily in the Arab League is telecommunications. Within less than a decade, local companies such as Orascom and Etisalat have managed to compete internationally.
Economic achievements initiated by the League amongst member states have been less impressive than those achieved by other smaller Arab organizations such as the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). However, several promising major economic projects are set to be completed soon.[24] Among them is the Arab Gas Pipeline, scheduled to be accomplished in 2010. It will transport Egyptian and Iraqi gas to Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, and Turkey. The Greater Arab Free Trade Area (GAFTA), planned to come into effect on January 1, 2008, will render 95% of all Arab products free of customs.[citation needed]
Economic development in the Arab League is very disparate. Significant difference in wealth and economic conditions exist between the rich oil states of UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, and Algeria on the one hand, and poor countries like the Comoros, Mauritania, and Djibouti on the other hand. Arab economic funding is under development. As an example, the Arab League agreed to support the Sudanese region of Darfur with 500 million dollars, and Egyptian and Libyan companies are planning to build several wells in this dry area.
List of member states by GDP (PPP)
Arab League HQ building in Cairo, EgyptThis following table lists the gross domestic product (GDP) of the Arab League and its member states based on purchasing power parity (PPP) and measured in US dollar. If not indicated otherwise, the figures are based on the 2008 data published by the International Monetary Fund, World Economic Outlook Database, in April 2008.[25]
Country GDP (PPP) US$M GDP (PPP) US$ per capita Arab Leaguea
2,604,639 7,671 592,886 23,814 443,430 5,896 233,479 6,709 185,287 38,893 138,250 4,433 137,450 38,857 114,151 3,652 94,563 4,756 94,404 86,008 88,037 2,309 88,133 14,192 82,636 8,002 68,331 24,674 52,050 2,335 51,474 13,374 27,986 4,886 24,499 32,064 5,818 1,800 5,575 600 5,034 1,100 1,738 2,271 719 1,125 Notes:
- Note a: The IMF source does not provide data for the compound Arab League. The total GDP figure has been calculated as the sum of the GDPs of the member states. The per capita value is derived on the basis of the population stated in the infobox.
- Note b: The IMF source does not provide data for this country. The reported figures are taken from a 2007 estimate of the CIA published in the CIA factbook.[26] For Palestine, a 2006 estimate was retrieved from the same source which is published as "West Bank (includes Gaza Strip)".
Education
Arab League map indicating literacy by country (2009 Human Development Report) Grey = no dataMain article: List of countries by literacy rateIn collecting literacy data, many countries estimate the number of literate people based on self-reported data. Some use educational attainment data as a proxy, but measures of school attendance or grade completion may differ. Because definitions and data collection methods vary across countries, literacy estimates should be used with caution.| United Nations Development Programme Report 2009.[1][2]
Rank Country Literacy rate [b] 1 94.5 2 93.8 3 93.1 4 91.1 5 90.0 [l] 6 89.6 [j] 7 88.8 8 84.2 [l] 9 82.9 10 81.4 11 80.8 12 74.3 13 71.4 14 70.3 [j] 15 69.9 16 60.9 [aa] 17 56.8 [j] 18 54.1 [l] 19 52.3 20 51.2 x No info Submitted x No info Submitted Status of Palestine
See also: Arab Peace InitiativeMindful of their previous announcements in support of the Arabs of Palestine the framers of the Pact were determined to include them within the league from its inauguration.[27] This was done by means of an annex that declared:[1]
“ Even though Palestine was not able to control her own destiny, it was on the basis of the recognition of her independence that the Covenant of the League of Nations determined a system of government for her. Her existence and her independence among the nations can, therefore, no more be questioned de jure than the independence of any of the other Arab States. [...] Therefore, the States signatory to the Pact of the Arab League consider that in view of Palestine's special circumstances, the Council of the League should designate an Arab delegate from Palestine to participate in its work until this country enjoys actual independence ” At the Cairo Summit of 1964, the Arab League initiated the creation of an organization representing the Palestinian people. The first Palestinian National Council convened in East Jerusalem on May 29, 1964. The Palestinian Liberation Organization was founded during this meeting on June 2, 1964.
At the Beirut Summit on March 28, 2002 the league adopted the Arab Peace Initiative,[28] a Saudi-inspired peace plan for the Arab–Israeli conflict. The initiative offered full normalization of the relations with Israel. In exchange, Israel was demanded to withdraw from all occupied territories, including the Golan Heights, to recognize an independent Palestinian state in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip with East Jerusalem as its capital, as well as a "just solution" for the Palestinian refugees.
The Peace Initiative was again endorsed at 2007 in the Riyadh Summit. In July 2007, the Arab League sent a mission, consisting of the Jordanian and Egyptian foreign ministers, to Israel to promote the initiative. The mission was welcomed with reservations by Israel.[citation needed]
Following Venezuela's move to expel the resident Israeli diplomats amid the 2008–2009 Israel–Gaza conflict, Kuwaiti member of parliament Waleed al-Tabtabai made a public plea to move the Arab League headquarters from Cairo to Caracas, Venezuela.[29]
Demographics
Main article: Demographics of the Arab LeagueThe Arab League is a culturally and ethnically diverse association of 22 member states, although a vast majority of the league consist of Arab people. As of January 1, 2007, about 314,000,000 people live in the states of the Arab League. Its population grows faster than in most other global regions. This threatens to diminish the slow economic expansion expected in the league's developing countries.[citation needed]
The most populous member state is Egypt, with a population of about 77.5 million. The least populated is Djibouti, with about 0.5 million inhabitants.
Since large parts of the Arab League are deserts, the population is concentrated in and around cities where most the trade and industry are located. The largest Arab city is Cairo, followed by Baghdad, Khartoum, Giza, Damascus, Riyadh, and Casablanca.
Pos Country Population 1 77,500,000 2 39,154,490 3 34,895,000 4 31,649,000 5 30,747,000 6 25,721,000 7 23,580,000 8 21,906,000 9 Chad
11,274,106 10 10,327,800 11 9,133,000 12 6,420,000 13 6,316,000 14 5,073,000 15 4,599,000 16 4,224,000 17 4,136,540 18 3,291,000 19 2,985,000 20 2,845,000 21 1,409,000 22 864,000 23 791,000 24 676,000 Total 360,029,936 Comparisons with other organizations
The Arab League resembles the Organization of American States, Celtic League, the Council of Europe, and the African Union, in that it has primarily political aims. However, membership in the league is based on culture rather than geographical location. In this respect, the Arab League resembles organizations such as the Latin Union or the Caribbean Community.
The Arab League differs notably from the European Union, in that it has not achieved a significant degree of regional integration and the organization itself has no direct relations with the citizens of its member states. However, the Arab League is based on principles that support and promote a unified Arab nationalism and a common position among Arabic states on various issues.
All Arab League members are also members of the Organisation of the Islamic Conference. In turn, the memberships of the smaller GCC and Arab Maghreb Union organizations are subsets of that of the league.
Secretaries General
1945 to 1952 1952 to 1972 1972 to 1979 1979 to 1990 1990 to 1991 1991 to 2001 2001 to date Summits
Summits Held in Arab Cities
- Two summits are not added to the system of Arab League summits:
- Anshas, Egypt: 28–29 May 1946
- Beirut, Lebanon: 13 – 15 November 1956
- Summit 14 in Fes, Morocco, occurred in two stages:
- On 25 November 1981: The 5-hours meeting ended without an agreed on document.
- On 6–9 September 1982
See also
- Arab Academy for Science and Technology and Maritime Transport (AASTMT)
- Arab Air Carriers Organization
- Arab Charter on Human Rights
- Arab Fund for Economic and Social Development (AFESD)
- Arabic industrial development and mining organization
- Arab Inter-parliamentary Union
- Arab League and the Arab–Israeli conflict
- Arab League boycott of Israel
- Arab Maghreb Union (UMA)
- Arab Monetary Fund
- Arab Organization for Industrialization
- Parliament of the Arab League
- Arab World
- Council of Arab Economic Unity (CAEU)
- Federation of Arab Trade Unions and Labor Societies
- General Arab Insurance Federation
- General Union of Chambers of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture for Arab Countries
- Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC)
- International Confederation of Arab Trade Unions
- List of largest cities of the Arab League
- Organization of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries (OAPEC)
- Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC)
- Pan Arab Games
- United Arab Command
References
- ^ a b c "Pact of the League of Arab States, March 22, 1945". The Avalon Project. Yale Law School. 1998. http://www.yale.edu/lawweb/avalon/mideast/arableag.htm. Retrieved 2008-07-09.
- ^ "The Arab League Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organization (ALESCO)". http://portal.unesco.org/culture/en/ev.php-URL_ID=36214&URL_DO=DO_PRINTPAGE&URL_SECTION=201.html.
- ^ Ashish K. Vaidya, Globalization, (ABC-CLIO: 2006), p.525
- ^ "Timeline: Arab League". BBC News. September 17, 2008. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/country_profiles/1550977.stm. Retrieved November 30, 2009.
- ^ "India invited as observer for Arab League summit". Press Trust of India. 2007-03-27. http://www.expressindia.com/fullstory.php?newsid=83760. Retrieved 2007-06-13.
- ^ "League of Arab States: Arab Republic Of Egypt". Arab League Online. http://www.arableagueonline.org/las/english/details_en.jsp?art_id=853&level_id=11. Retrieved June 12, 2007.
- ^ "League of Arab States: Republic Of Iraq". Arab League Online. http://www.arableagueonline.org/las/english/details_en.jsp?art_id=845&level_id=11. Retrieved June 12, 2007.
- ^ "League of Arab States: The Hashemite Kingdom Of Jordan". Arab League Online. http://www.arableagueonline.org/las/english/details_en.jsp?art_id=835&level_id=11. Retrieved June 12, 2007.
- ^ "League of Arab States: Republic Of Lebanon". Arab League Online. http://www.arableagueonline.org/las/english/details_en.jsp?art_id=851&level_id=11. Retrieved June 12, 2007.
- ^ "League of Arab States: Kingdom Of Saudi Arabia". Arab League Online. http://www.arableagueonline.org/las/english/details_en.jsp?art_id=841&level_id=11. Retrieved June 12, 2007.
- ^ "League of Arab States: Arab Republic Of Syria". Arab League Online. http://www.arableagueonline.org/las/english/details_en.jsp?art_id=843&level_id=11. Retrieved June 12, 2007.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n The Arab Balance of Power
- ^ "League of Arab States: State Of Palestine". Arab League Online. http://www.arableagueonline.org/las/english/details_en.jsp?art_id=847&level_id=11. Retrieved June 12, 2007.
- ^ "Eritrea Joins Arab League As Observer". The Somaliland Times. 2003-01-17. http://www.somalilandtimes.net/2003/52/5214.htm. Retrieved 2007-06-13.
- ^ "Speech by the President of the Republic, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, on the occasion of his visit to the Headquarters of the League of Arab States". Foreign Affairs Ministry of Brazil. http://www.mre.gov.br/ingles/politica_externa/discursos/discurso_detalhe.asp?ID_DISCURSO=2265&Imprime=on.
- ^ "‘Turkey and Brazil both looking for solutions to social and economic problems,’ says outgoing Brazilian ambassador". Todays Zaman. http://www.todayszaman.com/tz-web/detaylar.do?load=detay&link=145687.
- ^ a b "Venezuela Receives Arab League Support for UN Security Council Seat". venezuelanalysis.com. 2006-07-19. http://www.venezuelanalysis.com/news/1844. Retrieved 2007-10-17.
- ^ "Latin leanings". Al-Ahram Weekly. http://weekly.ahram.org.eg/2003/669/re2.htm.
- ^ "Getting Brazil Close to Arabs Is a Lula's Pet Project". Brazzil Magazine. http://www.brazzilmag.com/content/view/2354/41/.
- ^ "Arab League accepts Venezuela as observer". People's Daily Online. 2006-07-18. http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/200607/18/eng20060718_284210.html. Retrieved 2007-10-17.
- ^ "Internal Regulations of the Council of the League of Arab States". Model League of Arab States. Ed Haynes, Winthrop University. 1998-04-06. http://faculty.winthrop.edu/haynese/mlas/CouncilRegs.html. Retrieved 2008-07-09.
- ^ "Internal Regulations of the Committees of the League of Arab States". Model League of Arab States. Ed Haynes, Winthrop University. 1998-04-06. http://faculty.winthrop.edu/haynese/mlas/CmteeRegs.html. Retrieved 2008-07-09.
- ^ "Internal Regulations of the Secretariat-General of the League". Model League of Arab States. Ed Haynes, Winthrop University. 1998-04-06. http://faculty.winthrop.edu/haynese/mlas/SecGenRegs.html. Retrieved 2008-07-09.
- ^ http://www.reuters.com/article/newsOne/idUSN2041155720081120
- ^ "Report for Selected Countries and Subjects". World Economic Outlook Database. IMF. April 2008. http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/weo/2008/01/weodata/weorept.aspx?sy=2006&ey=2013&ssm=1&scsm=1&ssd=1&sort=subject&ds=.&br=1&pr1.x=36&pr1.y=10&c=446%2C612%2C672%2C419%2C682%2C686%2C449%2C632%2C453%2C611%2C456%2C469%2C463%2C744%2C466%2C439%2C443%2C474&s=PPPGDP%2CPPPPC&grp=0&a=. Retrieved 2008-07-24.
- ^ "Field Listing — GDP (purchasing power parity)". The world factbook. CIA. 2008-07-15. https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/fields/2001.html. Retrieved 2008-07-24.
- ^ Geddes, 1991, p. 208.
- ^ "The Arab Peace Initiative, 2002". al-bab.com. 2005-10-01. http://www.al-bab.com/arab/docs/league/peace02.htm. Retrieved 2008-07-09.
- ^ "Kuwaiti MP calls to move Arab league to Venezuela". AFP, via CaribbeanNetNews. 2009-01-15. http://www.caribbeannetnews.com/news-13536--12-12--.html. Retrieved 2009-01-16.
Further reading
- Ankerl, Guy: Coexisting Contemporary Civilizations: Arabo-Muslim, Bharati, Chinese, and Western. Geneva, INU Press, 2000. ISBN 2-88155-0044-5
- Geddes, Charles L: A Documentary History of the Arab-Israeli Conflict. Greenwood Press, 1991. ISBN 0-275-93858-1
External links
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