Arab League Names New Secretary General

Arab foreign ministers have unanimously selected Egyptian foreign minister Nabil Al-Arabi as the next Arab League Secretary General, succeeding Amr Moussa whose term expires on Sunday.

Al-Arabi was named after Qatar withdrew its candidate, Abdulrahman Al-Attiyah, after a sideline meeting with Egypt.

Egypt, before the extraordinary meeting of the Arab foreign minister, withdrew candidacy of Dr. Mustafa Al-Feqi and replaced him with Al-Arabi.

Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Hamad bin Jassem Al-Thani commended the selection of Al-Arabi, and said he was the right person.

Addressing the meeting, Sheikh Hamad said Qatar withdrew Al-Attiyah’s nomination in appreciation of Egypt’s January 25 revolution.

Amr Moussa officially announced Al-Arabi as the next Secretary General. He commended Qatar’s withdrawal from the race.

Moussa said he would leave the pan-Arab organization in safe hands “and in the hands that loves the Arab nation and works for the best interest of the common Arab action.” Al-Arabi, meanwhile, said he was taking his new “tough” job at a time the Arab region was experiencing many hardships.

The common Arab action “is experiencing tough times and we all have to join hands to achieve a good march for the Arab action,” he said.

Kuwait was represented by Deputy Premier and Foreign Minister Sheikh Dr. Mohammad Sabah Al-Salem Al-Sabah.