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••••• ••••• •••••••

Jāma•at ad-Duwwal al-•Arabiyya
Arab League

Flag

Headquarters Cairo, Egypt1

Official languages Arabic
22 Arab states
Membership
2 observer states
Leaders
- Secretary General Amr Moussa (since 2001)
Council of
- Sudan
the Arab League
Speaker of
- Nabih Berri
the Arab Parliament
Establishment

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- Alexandria Protocol March 22, 1945

Area
13,953,041 (Western Sahara Included) = 13,687,041
- Total (Western Sahara Discluded) km² (2nd2)
sq mi
Population
- 2007 estimate 339,510,535 (3rd2)
115.6 /km²
- Density
299.4 /sq mi
GDP (PPP) 2005 estimate
- Total $1,564,789 million (10th2)
- Per capita $7,890
Currency see footnote 3 below
Time zone (UTC+0 to +4)
Website
(Arabic) http://arableagueonline.org/
1 From 1979 to 1989: Tunis, Tunisia.

2 If ranked.
ISO 4217 codes bracketed:
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) •
3 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) • Yemeni rial (YER)

The Arab League (Arabic: ••••••• •••••••), Also called League of the Arab States (Arabic: ••••• •••••
•••••••), is a regional organization of Arab States in the Middle East and North Africa formed in Cairo on
March 22, 1945. Seven states formed the League, defining its main goals as 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
[1]
interests of the Arab countries."

Each member has one vote on the League Council, Decisions being binding only on those states that
have voted for them. The aims of the League in 1945 were to strenghthen and coordinate the political,
cultural, economic, and social programs of its members, and to mediate disputes among them or between
them and third parties. The signing on April 13, 1950, of an agreement on Joint Defense and Economic

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Cooperaion also committed the signatories to coordination of military defense measures.

Life in the Arab League

Contents
[hide]

● 1 History
● 2 Geography and Members ● Citizenship ● History
❍ 2.1 Annex on Palestine
● Culture ● Government
● 3 Government ● Demographics ● Languages
● 4 Demographics of the Arab League ● Education ● Transportation
● 5 Comparisons with other organizations ● Economy ● Military
● 6 Secretaries General ● Enlargement ● Politics
● 7 Arab League Summits ● Foreign ● Sport
● 8 Organization relations ● Statistics
● Geography
● 9 See also
● 10 Notes
● 11 References
● 12 External links

[edit] History

The British Empire realized the Urge of Unity Within Arab States (Arabism) in the early part of the
twentieth century, which helped them secure the cooperation of the Arabs, leading them to revolt (Arab
Revolt) against the Turkish Ottoman Empire during World War I. The British promised to help the
Arabs establish a united Arab kingdom under Sherif Hussein of Mecca, which would encompass the
Asian part of the Arab World (including the modern day Arabian peninsula, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon,
Palestine, Israel and Jordan). After winning the war, however, the British betrayed Sharif Hussein and
instead helped divide the region into mini states, implementing their policy of "Divide and Rule".

The British needed Arab cooperation once more during World War II, and again returned to play the Pan
Arabism card by encouraging the formation of the League. Many Arab intellectuals believe that the
British did not want the League to act as a step towards Arab unity, but actually used the League to
prevent it.

[edit] Geography and Members

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The Arab League is around 14 million square km, making it only second if ranked after Russia, standing
17 million square km;and is mainly divided in Two Continents The Asian Middle East and North Africa,
it is mainly an Arid Desert Area it has the biggest Desert The Sahara and the Longest River The Nile
running through it, its lands has witnessed the rise and fall of most ancient civilizations, Ancient Egypt,
Assyria, Babylon, Phonecia, Carthage, Kush, Nabateans, and Axum all lived within its modern day
borders, it has several very fertile lands for farming on the Nile Valley and the High Atlas Mountains of
north Africa and the fertile Cersent stretching from Iraq to Syria Lebanon and Palestine, it also has deep
forests in Southern Arabia and South of Sudan.

Arab League Member states

divided in the two continents of
Asia and Africa

The current members and observers of the Arab League and their dates of admission (observers in
italics):

[2] UAE
Egypt
[3] Bahrain
Iraq September 11, 1971
[4]b Qatar
Jordan
[5]
March 22, 1945a Oman September 29, 1971
Lebanon
[6] Mauritania November 26, 1973
Saudi Arabia
[7] Somalia February 14, 1974
Syria
[8]e September 9 1976
Yemen May 5, 1945 Palestine
Libya March 28, 1953c Djibouti April 9, 1977
Sudan January 19, 1956 Comoros November 20, 1993
Moroccod [9]
October 1, 1958 Eritrea observer since 2003
Tunisia
Kuwait July 20, 1961 India [10]
observer since 2007
Algeria August 16, 1962

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a Date of foundation.
b As Transjordan.
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.
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.

e Representatives from the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO).

[edit] Annex on Palestine

Mindful of their previous announcements in support of the Arabs of Palestine the framers of the Pact
[11]
were determined to include them within the League from its inauguration. This was done by means
of an annex that declared, "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
[1]
this country enjoys actual independence."

Life in the Arab League

[edit] Government

The Character of the Arab League endorsed in Principle

the Idea of an overall Arab Homeland but fully respected
the sovereignty of the individual member states at the
same time. Since then, Arab Order has Based on this ● Citizenship ● History
Duality. Preservation of individual statehood derived its ● Culture ● Government
strengths from Natural preferences of Ruling Elites to ● Demographics ● Languages
Maintain their power and their indipendence in Decision ● Education ● Transportation
Making. The Fear of Rich Arabs that Poorer Arabs may ● Economy ● Military
come to share their wealth in the name of Arab ● Enlargement ● Politics
Nationalism, the feuds among Arab rulers and the ● Foreign ● Sport
influence of external powers that saw potential danger in relations ● Statistics
Arab Unity; all reinforced this duality. ● Geography

see Government of the Arab League

[edit] Demographics of the Arab League

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see Demographics of the Arab League

[edit] Comparisons with other organizations

The Arab League resembles the Organization of American States, the Council of Europe, and the
African Union, in that it has primarily political aims; one can regard each of these organizations as a
regional version of the United Nations. However, its membership is based on culture rather than
geographical location (which is the basis for membership of the other organizations cited above). In this
respect the Arab League may bring to mind organizations such as the Latin Union.

The Arab League differs notably from some other regional organizations such as the European Union, in
that it has not achieved any significant degree of regional integration and the organization itself has no
direct relations with the citizens of its member states.

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 Arab
League.

The organization of the Arab League is based on principles that would support and promote a unified
Arab Nationalism and a common position among Arabic states on various issues. It is less likely to
resemble organizations such as the African Union, where unified nationalism is impossible due to the
heterogeneity of its members.

Amr Moussa, Current

Secretary General of the Arab
League

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[edit] Secretaries General

Abdul Rahman Azzam 1945 to 1952

Abdul Khalek Hassouna 1952 to 1972
Chedli Klibi 1979 to 1990
Ahmad Esmat Abd al Meguid 1991 to 2001
Amr Moussa 2001 to Date

[edit] Arab League Summits

1. Cairo: 13-17 Jan. 1964.

2. Alexandria: 5-11 Sep. 1964.
3. Casablanca: 13-17 Sep. 1965.
4. Khartoum: 29 Aug. 1967.
5. Rabat: 21-23 Dec. 1969.
6. Cairo (first emergency summit): 21-27 Sep. 1970
7. Algiers: 26-28 Nov.1973.
8. Rabat: 29 Oct. 1974.
9. Riyadh (2nd emergency summit): 17-28 Oct. 1976.
10. Cairo: 25-26 Oct. 1976.
11. Baghdad: 2-5 Nov.1978.
12. Tunis: 20-22 Nov. 1979.
13. Amman: 21-22 Nov. 1980.
14. Fes: 6-9 Sep. 1982.
15. Casablanca (3rd emergency summit): 7-9 Sep. 1985
16. Amman (4th emergency summit): 8-12 Nov. 1987.
17. Algiers (5th emergency summit): 7-9 Jun. 1988.
18. Casablanca (6th emergency summit): 23-26 Jun. 1989.
19. Baghdad (7th emergency summit): 28-30 Mar. 1990.

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20. Cairo (8th emergency summit): 9-10 Aug. 1990

21. Cairo (9th emergency summit): 22-23 Jun. 1996.
22. Cairo (10th emergency summit): 21-22 Oct. 2000.
23. Amman: 27-28 Mar. 2001.
24. Beirut: 27-28 Mar. 2002.
25. Sharm el-Sheikh: 1 Mar. 2003.
26. Tunis: 22-23 May. 2004.
27. Algiers: 22-23 Mar. 2005.
28. Khartoum: 28-30 Mar. 2006.
29. Riyadh: 27-28 Mar. 2007.

● Summit number 12 in Fes, Morocco occurred in two stages:

❍ On 25 November 1981: The meeting ended without agreeing on the document and Egypt

not shared in it. It is considered the shortest summit, only lasting 5 hours.
❍ On 6-9 September 1982.

● There are two summits in addition to those aforementioned, but they are not added to the system
of Arab League summits:
❍ Anshas, Egypt: 28-29 May 1946.

❍ Beirut, Lebanon: 13-15 November 1956.

[edit] Organization

● Secretary General of the League of Arab States

● Deputy Secretary General of the Arab League
● The Council of the Arab League
● Arab Fund for Economic and Social Development (AFESD)
● Technical Committees
● Arab Air Carriers Organization
● Specialized Ministerial Councils
● Arab Specialized Organizations
● Arab Unions
● Joint Arab-Foreign Chambers Of Commerce
● Missions
● General Secretariat Departments
● General Secretariat Sub Departments

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[edit] See also

● Arab League and the Arab-Israeli conflict

● Agadir Agreement (FTA)
● Greater Arab Free Trade Area (GAFTA)
● Arab Maghreb Union (UMA)
● Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC)
● Iran-Arab relations
● Largest Cities of the Arab League
● March 28, 2002 Arab Peace Initiative
● Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC)

[edit] Notes
ab
1.^ Pact of the Arab League, Avalon Project, accessed 12 June, 2007.
2.^ League of Arab States, Official Website, accessed 12 June, 2007.
3.^ League of Arab States, Official Website, accessed 12 June, 2007.
4.^ League of Arab States, Official Website, accessed 12 June, 2007.
5.^ League of Arab States, Official Website, accessed 12 June, 2007.
6.^ League of Arab States, Official Website, accessed 12 June, 2007.
7.^ League of Arab States, Official Website, accessed 12 June, 2007.
8.^ League of Arab States, Official Website, accessed 12 June, 2007.
9.^ title url Eritrea Joins Arab League As Observer. Somaliland Times (2003-01-17). Retrieved on
2007-06-13.
10. ^ India invited as observer for Arab League summit. Press Trust of India (2007-03-27). Retrieved
on 2007-06-13.
11. ^ Geddes, 1991, p. 208.

[edit] References

● Geddes, Charles L. (1991). A Documentary History of the Arab-Israeli Conflict. Greenwood

Press. ISBN 0-275-93858-1

[edit] External links

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Wikisource has original text related to this article:

Arab League Pact

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v•d•e Arab League [hide]

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Categories: Arab League | International organizations | 1945 establishments

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