Arab League#Summits

Following adoption of the Alexandria Protocol in 1944, the Arab League was founded on 22 March 1945.[http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/arab-league-formed Arab League formed – History.com This Day in History – 3/22/1945] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181116041827/https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/arab-league-formed |date=16 November 2018 }}. The official headquarters of the League was the Boustan Palace in Cairo.{{cite journal|author=I. H. Baqai|title=The Pan-Arab League|journal=India Quarterly|date=May 1946|volume=2|issue=2|pages=144–150|jstor=45067282|url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/45067282|access-date=3 April 2022|archive-date=3 April 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220403042425/https://www.jstor.org/stable/45067282|url-status=live}} It aimed to be a regional organisation of Arab states with a focus to developing the economy, resolving disputes and coordinating political aims. Other countries later joined the league.[http://history.howstuffworks.com/asian-history/arab-league.htm HowStuffWorks "Arab League"]. {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110815225240/http://history.howstuffworks.com/asian-history/arab-league.htm |date=15 August 2011 }} History.howstuffworks.com (27 February 2008). Retrieved on 2014-04-28. Each country was given one vote in the council. The first major action was joint intervention to keep Palestine from being divided into two states in keeping with the decision of the United Nations General Assembly. When Transjordan agreed to this proposal, Egypt intervened to prevent this from happening.Avi Shlaim, Collusion Across the Jordan: King Abdullah, the Zionist Movement and the Partition of Palestine. Oxford, U.K., Clarendon Press, 1988; Uri Bar-Joseph, Uri, The Best of Enemies: Israel and Transjordan in the War of 1948. London, Frank Cass, 1987; Joseph Nevo, King Abdullah and Palestine: A Territorial Ambition (London: Macmillan Press; New York: St. Martin's Press, 1996. It was followed by the creation of a mutual defence treaty two years later. A common market was established in 1965.Robert W. MacDonald, The League of Arab States: A Study in Regional Organization. Princeton, New Jersey, United States, Princeton University Press, 1965.

File:Arab League of states establishment - Egypt 22-3-1945.jpg, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Kingdom of Yemen, Syrian Republic, Hashemite Kingdom of Iraq, Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, Lebanese Republic and Palestine]]

The Arab League has not achieved much cooperation throughout its history. According to Michael Barnett and Etel Solingen, the design of the Arab League reflects Arab leaders' individual concerns for regime survival: "the politics of Arab nationalism and a shared identity led Arab states to embrace the rhetoric of Arab unity in order to legitimize their regimes, and to fear Arab unity in practice because it would impose greater restrictions on their sovereignty." The Arab League was "specifically designed to fail at producing the kind of greater collaboration and integration that might have weakened political leaders at home."

{{main|Geography of the Arab world}}

File:Arab League members colored by joining date.svg

The Arab League member states cover over {{convert|13000000|sqkm|abbr=on}} and straddles two continents: Africa and Asia. The area largely consists of arid deserts, such as the Sahara. Nevertheless, it also contains several highly fertile lands like the Nile Valley, the Jubba Valley and Shebelle Valley in the Horn of Africa, the Atlas Mountains in the Maghreb, and the Fertile Crescent that stretches over Mesopotamia and the Levant. The area comprises deep forests in southern Arabia and parts of the world's longest river, the Nile.

{{main|Member states of the Arab League}}

The Charter of the Arab League, also known as the Pact of the League of Arab States, is the founding treaty of the Arab League. Adopted in 1945, it stipulates that "the League of Arab States shall be composed of the independent Arab States that have signed this Pact."{{cite web|title=Pact of the League of Arab States, March 22, 1945|url=http://avalon.law.yale.edu/20th_century/arableag.asp|publisher=Yale Law School|via=law.yale.edu|access-date=9 July 2016|archive-date=25 July 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080725204917/http://www.yale.edu/lawweb/avalon/mideast/arableag.htm|url-status=live}}

In 1945, there were seven members,{{Cite web |title=Arab League|url=https://www.britannica.com/topic/Arab-League |website=Encyclopaedia Britannica|date=26 May 2024 }} but the Arab League now has 22 members, including 8 African countries:

{{columns-list|colwidth=15em|

• {{flag|Algeria}}
• {{flag|Bahrain}}
• {{flag|Comoros}}
• {{flag|Djibouti}}
• {{flag|Egypt}}
• {{flag|Iraq}}
• {{flag|Jordan}}
• {{flag|Kuwait}}
• {{flag|Lebanon}}
• {{flag|Libya}}
• {{flag|Mauritania}}
• {{flag|Morocco}}
• {{flag|Oman}}
• {{flag|Palestine}}
• {{flag|Qatar}}
• {{flag|Saudi Arabia}}
• {{flag|Somalia}}
• {{flag|Sudan}}
• {{flag|Syria}}
• {{flag|Tunisia}}
• {{flag|United Arab Emirates}}
• {{flag|Yemen}}

}}

and 7 observer states (note: the observer states below have been invited to participate during select Arab League sessions but do not hold voting privileges):

{{columns-list|colwidth=15em|

• {{flag|Armenia}}{{cite web| title = Armenia invited as observer for Arab League| publisher = Azad Hye| date = 19 January 2005| url = http://azad-hye.blogspot.ca/2005/01/observer-status-for-armenia-in-arab.html| access-date = 20 May 2014| archive-date = 21 April 2017| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20170421002247/http://azad-hye.blogspot.ca/2005/01/observer-status-for-armenia-in-arab.html| url-status = live}}
• {{flag|Brazil}}{{cite web| title = Brazil must be a facilitator in the Middle East, says VP| date = 14 August 2019| publisher = Brazil-Arab News Agency| url = https://anba.com.br/en/brazil-must-be-a-facilitator-in-the-middle-east-says-vp| access-date = 10 April 2020| archive-date = 11 August 2020| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20200811225601/https://anba.com.br/en/brazil-must-be-a-facilitator-in-the-middle-east-says-vp/| url-status = live}}
• {{flag|Chad}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2005/4/29/chad-to-join-arab-league-as-observer|title=Chad to join Arab League as observer|date=29 April 2005|website=www.aljazeera.com|access-date=20 November 2023|archive-date=23 December 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211223174531/https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2005/4/29/chad-to-join-arab-league-as-observer|url-status=live}}
• {{flag|Eritrea}}{{cite web|url=https://www.theafricareport.com/25874/nile-dam-still-raging-despite-global-pause-for-covid-19/|title=Nile dam still raging, despite global pause for COVID-19|website=The Africa Report|date=8 April 2020|access-date=25 September 2020|archive-date=22 October 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201022115243/https://www.theafricareport.com/25874/nile-dam-still-raging-despite-global-pause-for-covid-19/|url-status=live}}
• {{flag|Greece}}{{Cite web|url=https://greekcitytimes.com/2021/07/12/greece-observer-arab-league/|title=Greece to become observer member of the Arab League|website=www.greekcitytimes.com|date=12 July 2021 |access-date=3 January 2024|archive-date=16 October 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231016212406/https://greekcitytimes.com/2021/07/12/greece-observer-arab-league/|url-status=live}}
• {{flag|India}}{{cite web|url=https://thediplomat.com/2014/12/india-and-the-arab-league-walking-the-trade-talk/|title=India and the Arab League: Walking the Trade Talk|website=thediplomat.com|date=21 December 2014|access-date=25 September 2020|archive-date=19 December 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201219180907/https://thediplomat.com/2014/12/india-and-the-arab-league-walking-the-trade-talk/|url-status=live}}
• {{flag|Venezuela}}{{cite web|url=http://www.cnn.com/2013/07/30/world/meast/arab-league-fast-facts/index.html|title=Arab League Fast Facts|website=CNN|date=30 July 2013|access-date=21 August 2017|archive-date=5 August 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130805005307/http://www.cnn.com/2013/07/30/world/meast/arab-league-fast-facts/index.html|url-status=live}}

}}

Egypt was suspended from the Arab League on 26 March 1979 due to the Egypt–Israel peace treaty, with the League's headquarters moving from Cairo to Tunis, Tunisia. In 1987, Arab League states restored diplomatic relations with Egypt, the country was readmitted to the League in May 1989 and the League's headquarters were moved back to Cairo in September 1990.{{cite news |date=17 September 2008 |title=Timeline: Arab League |publisher=BBC News |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/country_profiles/1550977.stm |access-date=30 November 2009 |archive-date=7 March 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190307073047/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/country_profiles/1550977.stm |url-status=live }}

Libya was suspended on 22 February 2011, following the outbreak of the first Libyan civil war.{{cite news | url= http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4032530,00.html | title= Libya suspended from Arab League sessions | website= Ynetnews.com | date= 1995-06-20 | access-date= 2014-04-28 | archive-date= 8 September 2019 | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20190908061834/https://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4032530,00.html | url-status= live }} The Arab League voted to restore Libya's membership on 27 August 2011 by accrediting a representative of the National Transitional Council, which was the partially recognised interim government of the country.{{cite news |url=http://www.rttnews.com/Content/GeneralNews.aspx?Id=1700187&SM=1 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120604155833/http://www.rttnews.com/Content/GeneralNews.aspx?Id=1700187&SM=1 |url-status=dead |archive-date=4 June 2012 |work= RTT News |date=25 August 2011 |access-date=25 August 2011 |title=Arab League Recognizes Libyan Rebel Council}}

Syria was suspended on 16 November 2011 in the aftermath of the outbreak of the Syrian civil war. On 6 March 2013, the Arab League gave Syria's seat in the Arab League to the Syrian National Coalition, the largest opposition group.{{cite web|url= https://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/mar/26/syrian-opposition-appeals-nato-support|title= Syrian opposition takes Arab League seat|first= Ian|last= Black|work= The Guardian|date= 26 March 2013|access-date= 20 November 2014|archive-date= 21 August 2013|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20130821111815/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/mar/26/syrian-opposition-appeals-nato-support|url-status= live}} On 9 March 2014, secretary general Nabil Elaraby stated that Syria's seat would remain vacant until the opposition completed the formation of its institutions.{{cite web|url= http://www.dailystar.com.lb/News/Middle-East/2014/Mar-09/249749-syria-opposition-not-yet-ready-for-arab-league-seat.ashx|title= Syria opposition 'not yet ready for Arab League seat'|work= The Daily Star Newspaper|place= Lebanon|access-date= 20 November 2014|archive-date= 10 March 2014|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20140310000406/http://www.dailystar.com.lb/News/Middle-East/2014/Mar-09/249749-syria-opposition-not-yet-ready-for-arab-league-seat.ashx|url-status= dead}} In 2021, the Arab League initiated a process of normalisation between the Syrian Ba'athist government and other Arab nations.[https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230308-saudi-arabia-talks-underway-on-syrias-return-to-arab-league/ "Saudi Arabia: Talks underway on Syria's return to Arab League"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230315152236/https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230308-saudi-arabia-talks-underway-on-syrias-return-to-arab-league/ |date=15 March 2023 }} middleeastmonitor. Accessed 25 March 2023. On 7 May 2023, at the meeting of the Council of the Arab League in Cairo, it was agreed to reinstate Syria's membership.{{cite web|url=https://english.alarabiya.net/News/middle-east/2023/05/07/Arab-foreign-ministers-to-discuss-Syria-s-return-to-Arab-League-Sudan-conflict|title=Arab foreign ministers agree to readmit Syria to the Arab League|publisher=Al Arabiya|date=7 May 2023|access-date=7 May 2023|archive-date=18 May 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230518204743/https://english.alarabiya.net/News/middle-east/2023/05/07/Arab-foreign-ministers-to-discuss-Syria-s-return-to-Arab-League-Sudan-conflict|url-status=live}}

{{main|Charter of the Arab League|Council of the Arab League|Arab Parliament|Politics of the Arab League|Foreign relations of the Arab League}}

File:Arab Leage HQ 977.PNG.]]

[[File:Israel-Palestine Diplomacy.svg|thumb|

{{legend|#cdcd9c|Recognition of both Israel and Palestinian State}}

{{legend|#E5A238|Recognition of Palestinian State, with some relations to Israel}}

{{legend|#FF4500|Recognition of Palestinian State only}}]]

File:Provinces - Arab League.PNG

The Arab League is a political organization which tries to help integrate its members economically, and solve conflicts involving member states without asking for foreign assistance. It possesses elements of a state representative parliament while foreign affairs are often conducted under UN supervision.{{Cite web|url=http://portal.unesco.org/culture/en/ev.php-URL_ID%3D36214%26URL_DO%3DDO_PRINTPAGE%26URL_SECTION%3D201.html|title=The Arab League Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organization (ALESCO)|access-date=31 March 2024|archive-date=27 June 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120627041350/http://portal.unesco.org/culture/en/ev.php-URL_ID%3D36214%26URL_DO%3DDO_PRINTPAGE%26URL_SECTION%3D201.html|url-status=live}}

The Charter of the Arab League endorsed the principle of an Arab nation-state while respecting the sovereignty of the individual member states. The internal regulations of the Council of the League{{cite web |title=Internal Regulations of the Council of the League of Arab States |work=Model League of Arab States |publisher=Ed Haynes, Winthrop University |date=6 April 1998 |url=http://faculty.winthrop.edu/haynese/mlas/CouncilRegs.html |access-date=9 July 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080406061423/http://faculty.winthrop.edu/haynese/mlas/CouncilRegs.html |archive-date=6 April 2008 |url-status=dead}} and the committees{{cite web |title=Internal Regulations of the Committees of the League of Arab States |work=Model League of Arab States |publisher=Ed Haynes, Winthrop University |date=6 April 1998 |url=http://faculty.winthrop.edu/haynese/mlas/CmteeRegs.html |access-date=9 July 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080406075743/http://faculty.winthrop.edu/haynese/mlas/CmteeRegs.html |archive-date=6 April 2008 |url-status=dead}} were agreed in October 1951. Those of the Secretariat-General were agreed in May 1953.{{cite web |title=Internal Regulations of the Secretariat-General of the League |work=Model League of Arab States |publisher=Ed Haynes, Winthrop University |date=6 April 1998 |url=http://faculty.winthrop.edu/haynese/mlas/SecGenRegs.html |access-date=9 July 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080406064006/http://faculty.winthrop.edu/haynese/mlas/SecGenRegs.html |archive-date=6 April 2008 |url-status=dead}}

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.

Mindful 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.Geddes, 1991, p. 208. This was done by means of an annex that declared:

{{cquote|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 organisation representing the Palestinian people. The first Palestinian National Council convened in East Jerusalem on 29 May 1964. The Palestine Liberation Organization was founded during this meeting on 2 June 1964. Palestine was shortly admitted in to the Arab League, represented by the PLO. Today, State of Palestine is a full member of the Arab League.

At the Beirut Summit on 28 March 2002, the league adopted the Arab Peace Initiative,{{cite web|author=Council of Arab States |title=The Arab Peace Initiative, 2002 |publisher=al bab |date=1 October 2005 |url=http://www.al-bab.com/arab/docs/league/peace02.htm |access-date=9 July 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090604091304/http://www.al-bab.com/arab/docs/league/peace02.htm |archive-date=4 June 2009 }} a Saudi-inspired peace plan for the Arab–Israeli conflict. The initiative offered full normalisation of the relations with Israel. In exchange, Israel was required to withdraw from all occupied territories, including the Golan Heights, to recognise Palestinian independence in the West Bank and 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. Following Venezuela's move to expel Israeli diplomats amid the 2008–2009 Israel–Gaza conflict, Kuwaiti member of parliament Waleed Al-Tabtabaie proposed moving Arab League headquarters to Caracas, Venezuela.{{cite news|url=http://www.caribbeannetnews.com/news-13536--12-12--.html|title=Kuwaiti MP calls to move Arab league to Venezuela|access-date=16 January 2009|date=15 January 2009|work=AFP, via CaribbeanNetNews|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090304230647/http://www.caribbeannetnews.com/news-13536--12-12--.html|archive-date=4 March 2009}} On 13 June 2010, Amr Mohammed Moussa, Secretary-General of the Arab League, visited the Gaza Strip, the first visit by an official of the Arab League since Hamas' armed takeover in 2007.

The Arab League is a member of the China-Arab States Cooperation Forum (CASCF), which was formed in 2004. CASCF is the Arab League's earliest participation in a cooperation forum with another country or region.{{Cite book |last=Murphy |first=Dawn C. |url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/1249712936 |title=China's rise in the Global South : the Middle East, Africa, and Beijing's alternative world order |date=2022 |publisher=Stanford University Press |isbn=978-1-5036-3060-4 |location=Stanford, California |pages=58 |oclc=1249712936}} CASCF is the primarily multi-lateral coordination mechanism between the Arab states and China and within CASCF the Arab League represents its member states as a relatively unified force.{{Cite book |last=Murphy |first=Dawn C. |url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/1249712936 |title=China's rise in the Global South : the Middle East, Africa, and Beijing's alternative world order |date=2022 |publisher=Stanford University Press |isbn=978-1-5036-3060-4 |location=Stanford, California |pages=57 |oclc=1249712936}} The Arab League's coordination allows Arab states to negotiate actively for collective projects involving multiple states, such as railway projects, nuclear power projects, and Dead Sea initiatives.

In 2015, the Arab League voiced support for Saudi Arabian-led military intervention in Yemen against the Shia Houthis and forces loyal to former President Ali Abdullah Saleh, who was deposed in the 2011 uprising.{{cite news|url=http://www.latimes.com/world/middleeast/la-fg-joint-arab-military-force-20150329-story.html|agency=Los Angeles Times|title=Arab League's joint military force is a 'defining moment' for region|date=29 March 2015|first1=Christina|last1=Boyle|first2=Zaid|last2=al-Alayaa|access-date=5 July 2016|archive-date=6 February 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200206150057/https://www.latimes.com/world/middleeast/la-fg-joint-arab-military-force-20150329-story.html|url-status=live}}

On 15 April 2018, in response to the Turkish invasion of northern Syria aimed at ousting U.S.-backed Syrian Kurds from the enclave of Afrin, the Arab League passed a resolution calling on Turkish forces to withdraw from Afrin.{{cite news|title=Turkey slams Arab League resolution on Afrin operation|url=https://www.yenisafak.com/en/news/turkey-slams-arab-league-resolution-on-afrin-operation-3329296|publisher=Yeni Safak|date=18 April 2018|access-date=30 April 2018|archive-date=26 July 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200726102004/https://www.yenisafak.com/en/news/turkey-slams-arab-league-resolution-on-afrin-operation-3329296|url-status=live}}

In September 2019, the Arab League condemned Benjamin Netanyahu's plans to annex the eastern portion of the occupied West Bank known as the Jordan Valley.{{cite news |title=Arab nations condemn Netanyahu's Jordan Valley annexation plan |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-49657915 |work=BBC News |date=11 September 2019 |access-date=18 September 2019 |archive-date=4 August 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200804235349/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-49657915 |url-status=live }}

The Arab League met in Cairo on 12 October 2019 to discuss Turkish offensive into north-eastern Syria. Upon meeting, its member states voted to condemn the Turkish offensive, dubbing it both an 'invasion' and an 'aggression' against an Arab state, adding that the organization saw it as a violation of international law.{{Cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-arableague-turkey-syria-idUSKBN1WR0C9|title=Turkey's Syria offensive an 'invasion': Arab League secretary general|date=2019-10-12|work=Reuters|language=en|access-date=13 October 2019|archive-date=14 April 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210414054524/https://www.reuters.com/article/us-arableague-turkey-syria-idUSKBN1WR0C9|url-status=live}}

On 9 September 2020, the Arab League refused to condemn the UAE's decision to normalize ties with Israel. Nevertheless, "The goal all our Arab countries seek, without exception, is to end the occupation and establish an independent Palestinian state on the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital," Aboul Gheit said.{{Cite web|url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/09/arab-league-ministers-agree-condemn-uae-israel-deal-200909141524785.html|title=Arab League: Ministers agree not to condemn UAE-Israel deal|date=September 9, 2020|website=Al Jazeera|access-date=11 September 2020|archive-date=15 November 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201115060530/https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/09/09/arab-league-ministers-agree-not-to-condemn-uae-israel-deal/|url-status=live}} In January 2024, the Arab League expressed support for South Africa's ICJ genocide case against Israel.{{cite news |title=Genocide case against Israel: Where does the rest of the world stand on the momentous allegations? |url=https://english.ahram.org.eg/News/515627.aspx |work=Al-Ahram |date=13 January 2024}}

File:Arab League Summit Logo.png Logo]]

{{Div col|colwidth=30em}}

• Two summits are not added to the system of Arab League summits:
• Anshas, Egypt: 28–29 May 1946.
• Beirut, Lebanon: 13 – 15 November 1958.
• Summit 12 in Fes, Morocco, occurred in two stages:
• On 25 November 1981: the 5-hour meeting ended without an agreement on document.
• On 6–9 September 1982.

{{colend}}

{{Main|Military of the Arab League}}

The Joint Defence Council of the Arab League is one of the Institutions of the Arab League.{{cite web|title=Arab-Israeli Wars: 60 Years of Conflict|url=http://www.historyandtheheadlines.abc-clio.com/ContentPages/ContentPage.aspx?entryId=1281297|publisher=ABC-CLIO|access-date=30 June 2014|archive-date=14 July 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140714180215/http://www.historyandtheheadlines.abc-clio.com/ContentPages/ContentPage.aspx?entryId=1281297|url-status=live}} It was established under the terms of the Joint Defence and Economic Co-operation Treaty of 1950 to coordinate the joint defence of the Arab League member states.{{Cite book|last=Osmańczyk|first=Edmund Jan|author-link=Edmund Osmańczyk|chapter=League of Arab States|title=Encyclopedia of the United Nations and international agreements|editor-last=Mango|editor-first=Anthony|volume=2|edition=3|page=1290|place=New York|publisher=Routledge|year=2003}}

The Arab League as an organisation has no military Force, similar to the UN, but at the 2007 summit, the Leaders decided to reactivate their joint defence and establish a peacekeeping force to deploy in South Lebanon, Darfur, Iraq, and other hot spots.

At a 2015 summit in Egypt, member states agreed in principle to form a joint military force.{{cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/mideast-arabs-communique-idUSL6N0WV03T20150329|title=Arab summit agrees on unified military force for crises|work=Reuters|date=29 March 2015|access-date=10 July 2021|archive-date=22 October 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151022201840/http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/03/29/mideast-arabs-communique-idUSL6N0WV03T20150329|url-status=live}}

{{Main|Economy of the Arab League}}

{{See also|List of countries by GDP (PPP)|List of countries by GDP (PPP) per capita}}

The Arab League is rich in resources, such as enormous oil and natural gas resources in certain member states.

Economic achievements initiated by the League amongst member states have been less impressive than those achieved by smaller Arab organisations such as the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC).{{cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/newsOne/idUSN2041155720081120|title=Reuters.com|work=Reuters|date=20 November 2008|access-date=20 November 2014|archive-date=9 January 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090109095845/https://www.reuters.com/article/newsOne/idUSN2041155720081120|url-status=live}} Among them is the Arab Gas Pipeline, that will transport Egyptian and Iraqi gas to Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, and Turkey. As of 2013, a significant difference in economic conditions exist between the developed oil states of Algeria, Qatar, Kuwait and the UAE, and developing countries like the Comoros, Djibouti, Mauritania, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen.

File:OAPEC Members.png Members]]

The Arab League also includes great fertile lands in the southern part of Sudan. It is referred to as the food basket of the Arab World, the region's instability including the independence of South Sudan has not affected its tourism industry, that is considered the fastest growing industry in the region, with Egypt, UAE, Lebanon, Tunisia, and Jordan leading the way. Another industry that is growing steadily in the Arab League is telecommunications.

Economical achievements within members have been low in the league's history, other smaller Arab Organizations have achieved more than the league has, such as the GCC, but lately several major economic projects that are promising are to be completed, the Arab Gas Pipeline is to end by 2010, Connecting Egyptian and Iraqi Gas to Jordan, Syria and Lebanon, and then to Turkey thus Europe, a free trade Agreement (GAFTA) is to be completed by 1 January 2008, making 95% of all Arab products tax free of customs.

The Arab League is divided into five parts when it comes to transport, with the Arabian Peninsula and the Near East being entirely connected by air, sea, roads and railways. Another part of the League is the Nile Valley, made up of Egypt and Sudan. These two member states have started to improve the River Nile's navigation system to improve accessibility and thus foster trading. A new railway system is also set to connect the southern Egyptian city of Abu Simbel with the northern Sudanese city of Wadi Halfa and then to Khartoum and Port Sudan. The third division of the League is the Maghreb, where a 3,000 km stretch of railway runs from the southern cities of Morocco to Tripoli in Western Libya. The fourth division of the League is the Horn of Africa, whose member states include Djibouti and Somalia. These two Arab League states are separated by only ten nautical miles from the Arabian Peninsula by the Bab el Mandeb and this is quickly changing as Tarik bin Laden, the brother of Osama bin Laden, has initiated the construction of the ambitious Bridge of the Horns project, which ultimately aims to connect the Horn of Africa with the Arabian Peninsula via a massive bridge. The project is intended to facilitate and accelerate the already centuries-old trade and commerce between the two regions. The last division of the League is the isolated archipelago of the Comoros located off the coast of East Africa, which is not physically connected to any other Arab state, but still trades with other Arab League members.

{{main|List of countries by literacy rate}}

In 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, Human Development Report 2010. The Persian Gulf region has had an oil boom, enabling more schools and universities to be set up.

{{main|Demographics of the Arab world}}

While Arabs constitute the largest ethnic group in the Arab League, there are several other ethnic groups that also reside in the region, including Berbers, Kurds, Somalis, Assyrians, Armenians, Nubians, Mandaeans, and Circassians. Each of these groups have their own distinct cultures, languages, and traditions. As of 1 July 2013, about 359 million people live in the states of the Arab League. Its population grows faster than in most other global regions. The most populous member state is Egypt, with a population of over 100 million.{{cite web |title=Central Agency for Public Mobilization And Statistics |url=http://www.capmas.gov.eg/HomePage.aspx |access-date=6 June 2020 |archive-date=6 February 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190206110940/http://www.capmas.gov.eg/HomePage.aspx |url-status=live }} The least populated is the Comoros, with approximately 850,000 inhabitants.

The majority of the Arab League's citizens adhere to Islam, with Christianity being the second largest religion. At least 15 million Christians combined live in Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Palestine, Sudan and Syria. In addition, there are smaller but significant numbers of Druze, Yazidis, Shabaks and Mandaeans. Numbers for nonreligious Arabs are generally not available, but research by the Pew Forum suggests around 1% of people in the MENA region are "unaffiliated".{{cite web|url=http://www.pewforum.org/2014/04/04/global-religious-diversity/|title=Religious Diversity Around The World|date=4 April 2014|work=Pew Research Center's Religion & Public Life Project|access-date=9 September 2014|archive-date=5 April 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140405213639/http://www.pewforum.org/2014/04/04/global-religious-diversity/|url-status=live}}

The official language of the Arab League is Literary Arabic, based on Classical Arabic. However, several Arab League member states have other co-official or national languages, such as Somali, Afar, Comorian, French, English, Berber and Kurdish. In most countries, there is a dominant non-codified spoken Arabic dialect.

{{Main|Sport policies of the Arab League}}

The Pan-Arab Games are considered the biggest Arab sporting event, which brings together athletes from all the Arab countries to participate in a variety of different sports.

The Union of Arab Football Associations organises the Arab Cup (for national teams) and the Arab Club Champions Cup (for clubs). Arab sport federations also exist for several games, include basketball, volleyball, handball, table tennis, tennis, squash and swimming.{{citation needed|date=September 2014}}

{{Div col|colwidth=27em}}

• Arab Charter on Human Rights
• Arab Cold War
• Arab Fund for Economic and Social Development (AFESD)
• Arab leaders
• Arab League and the Arab–Israeli conflict
• Arab League boycott of Israel
• Arab Maghreb Union (UMA)
• Arab Monetary Fund
• Arab Organization for Industrialization
• Arab Parliament
• Arab Union
• Bloudan Conference of 1937
• Bloudan Conference of 1946
• Council of Arab Economic Unity (CAEU)
• Flag of the Arab League
• General Arab Insurance Federation
• General Union of Chambers of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture for Arab Countries
• Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC)
• Inshas
• International Association of Arabic Dialectology (AIDA)
• International Confederation of Arab Trade Unions
• List of conflicts in the Arab League
• List of country groupings
• List of largest cities in the Arab world
• List of multilateral free-trade agreements
• Lists of the Arab League
• Model Arab League
• Orange card system – motor insurance scheme of the Arab League
• Organisation of Islamic Cooperation
• Organization of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries (OAPEC)
• Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC)
• Pan Arab Games
• Pan-Arabism
• Summit of South American-Arab Countries
• United Arab Command
• Arab Standardization and Metrology Organization

{{colend}}

{{notelist}}

{{reflist|30em}}

{{Wikisource|Arab League Pact}}

{{Commons}}

• {{in lang|ar}} [http://www.lasportal.org/ The League of Arab States] (official site).
• {{in lang|en}} [http://arableague-us.org/wp/ League of Arab States Office] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211231152601/https://arableague-us.org/wp/ |date=31 December 2021 }} in Washington D.C.
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20041016021558/http://www.al-bab.com/arab/docs/league.htm The League of Arab States] at Al-Bab.com
• [http://www.cfr.org/middle-east/arab-league/p25967 The Arab League] at Council on Foreign Relations
• [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/country_profiles/1550797.stm Profile: Arab League], BBC News, updated 9 August 2011
• {{JPosttopic|Arab_League}}
• {{NYTtopic|organizations/a/arab_league}}

{{Arab League |expanded}}

{{Regional organizations}}

{{Countries and languages lists}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Arab League}}

League

Category:International organizations based in Africa

Category:International organizations based in Asia

Category:International organizations based in the Middle East

Category:Supranational unions

Category:Intergovernmental organizations established by treaty

Category:Anti-Israeli sentiment in Africa

Category:Anti-Israeli sentiment in Asia

Category:Organisations based in Cairo

Category:Organizations established in 1945

Category:1945 establishments in Africa

Category:1945 establishments in Asia

Category:1945 establishments in Egypt

Category:1940s in Islam