The 34th Arab League Summit is set to launch on Saturday in Baghdad, marking a pivotal moment for the host nation’s reintegration into regional diplomacy.

The summit, which brings together leaders from across the Arab world, will tackle a wide range of political and developmental issues, according to Arab League Assistant Secretary-General Hossam Zaki.

Speaking ahead of the summit, Zaki emphasized the significance of Iraq’s return to full participation in Arab affairs. "The return of Iraq to the Arab fold with its full strength is a gain and a source of power for the Arab world," he stated.

Zaki also announced a key diplomatic initiative: a joint Saudi-French conference scheduled between June 17 and 20 to implement a UN resolution aimed at accelerating a two-state solution in occupied Palestine.

Iraq pushes for unified Arab response

Iraqi Deputy Foreign Minister Hisham al-Alawi, in an interview with Al Mayadeen, said that Iraq had prepared a draft of initiatives to be presented during the summit.

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He called for a unified Arab stance condemning the aggression on Gaza, Lebanon, and Syria, urging collective action to address the humanitarian and political fallout in these regions.

Al-Alawi stressed the importance of consolidated Arab efforts to counter terrorism, particularly through resolving Syria’s ongoing economic crises. He underscored Iraq’s push to attract Arab investments across various sectors, with food security standing out as a priority under Baghdad’s initiative.

Development, education, investment on agenda

Beyond geopolitics, the summit will also focus on promoting Arab development and interregional cooperation. Al-Alawi highlighted Baghdad’s proposal to launch a joint project for development and investment, aiming to strengthen ties among Arab universities and create employment opportunities for students.

He reiterated that all Arab countries are represented at the summit, though levels of representation vary. Arab leaders and officials continued to arrive in Baghdad on Friday in preparation for the opening session.

The summit comes at a time of heightened regional tensions and growing calls for Arab states to take coordinated stances on shared challenges, from the Israeli aggression in Gaza to economic recovery in Syria and the broader push for Palestinian statehood.

Arab League reaffirms commitment to Gaza reconstruction

Arab leaders gathered in Cairo for an emergency summit in March to discuss developments in the Palestinian issue and Egypt’s proposed plan for Gaza. The summit saw numerous discussions, most notably on reconstruction efforts, political governance, and international responses to the ongoing crisis.

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi confirmed his country’s efforts to form an independent committee to administer Gaza, working in coordination with Palestinian authorities. He stated that this committee, responsible for overseeing the reconstruction process, would pave the way for the Palestinian Authority’s return to governance.

According to Sisi, Egypt is training Palestinian security personnel to assume control of the Strip’s security in the coming phase. Sisi also condemned Israeli violations against Palestinians in the West Bank and warned against continued provocations at al-Aqsa Mosque.

Furhtermore, he described the normalization agreement between his country and the Israeli occupation as a model for transforming conflict into peace and prosperity.