Muscat – Saudi Arabia will host leaders from across the Arab world who will gather in the city of Jeddah on Friday for an annual Arab Summit to tackle regional challenges.

The focus of the 32nd Arab Summit will be the readmission of Syria to the Arab League after 12 years of shunning Syrian President Bashar al Assad and the culmination of years of efforts to re-engage with him.

The league recently lifted the suspension of Syria’s membership, imposed after the crackdown on street protests by Assad that led to the civil war in Syria in 2011.

The summit will also discuss the Palestinian issue and the current tensions in the Gaza Strip, focusing on the demolition of property, confiscation of land, deliberate killings, and the policies of collective punishment of the Palestinian people.

The meeting will shed light on the crises that Arab countries are facing, including the Sudanese conflict, the situation in Yemen and Somalia, and the political and security challenges plaguing Libya and Lebanon.

The summit comes in the aftermath of the China-mediated Saudi-Iranian rapprochement which the kingdom hopes will give a further push to regional peace.

The summit will discuss strengthening cooperation between Arab countries to combat terrorism, exchanging information between security agencies on extremist groups, and protecting Arab national security in order to face serious economic and social challenges that have affected the region, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic and the Russian-Ukrainian crisis.

The summit will also discuss the food security issue, activation of free trade exchange between Arab countries, as well as the energy crisis and climate change.

Ahmed Rashid Khattabi, Assistant Secretary-General and Head of Media and Communications, Arab League, informed that the agenda of the summit will constitute a shift in the course of joint Arab action after Syria’s return to the Arab League.

“The summit will focus on the Sudanese crisis, try to contain this conflict before it is too late and avoid a humanitarian and refugee crisis. The summit will invite the two parties in Sudan to take advantage of the ongoing dialogue hosted by Saudi Arabia to find a road map for reconciliation,” Khattabi added.

The summit will try to bring an end to the Yemen conflict following the current negotiations opening doors for positive outcomes that will restore stability and security in the country, he said.

The summit will also appeal to the Lebanese leadership to shoulder their responsibility towards their country, uphold the national interest and elect a president.