By Sama Marwan,
Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ Al-Sudani affirmed that the Arab Economic and Social Development Summit serves as a strategic platform to strengthen Arab partnerships, activate development funds and mechanisms, and open new horizons for women, youth, and childcare, as these human resources are the most valuable future assets. He also emphasized the importance of reviving the momentum of development summits, which had paused since the 2019 Beirut summit, and reactivating follow-up and implementation mechanisms for previous summit decisions.
This statement came during Iraq’s assumption of the presidency of the Arab Economic and Social Development Summit from Lebanon.
In his speech, Al-Sudani thanked the Republic of Lebanon for its leadership during the previous period and also praised the efforts of the Arab League Secretariat in organizing and supporting the summit’s goals. He reaffirmed Baghdad’s commitment to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and enhancing human investment as the cornerstone of any renaissance project, stressing that joint Arab action is key to achieving progress in line with the Arab world’s civilizational and historical standing.
Key Highlights from Al-Sudani’s Speech:
Strategic Goals: The summit aims to consolidate Arab cooperation, activate developmental mechanisms, and invest in youth and women as vital societal assets.
Development Evaluation Mechanism: He proposed establishing a joint Arab mechanism to evaluate developmental performance across economic and social indicators.
Knowledge Economy: With global shifts in technology and production, he stressed the need to shift from dependence on raw natural resources to a knowledge-based economy, creating a strong educational environment that supports entrepreneurship and innovation.
Iraq’s Reform Plans and Initiatives:
Al-Sudani highlighted Iraq’s launch of comprehensive economic and financial reforms, major development and infrastructure projects, support for education, healthcare, digital transformation, the private sector, and tourism, especially after Baghdad was named the Arab Tourism Capital for 2025.
He announced the launch of a “Decade of Arab Economic Reform Initiative”, which includes:
Creating a comprehensive Arab investment environment
Promoting intra-Arab trade
Establishing free trade zones
Launching the Development Road Project, linking Iraq’s Grand Faw Port on the Gulf to Turkey and Europe
He emphasized Iraq’s openness to productive partnerships, noting that Arab and foreign investments in Iraq have reached nearly $89 billion over the past two years, and invited Arab nations to contribute to Iraq’s development project.
Infrastructure and Environmental Commitments:
Al-Sudani called for strengthening infrastructure to meet sustainable development goals, including roads, railways, renewable energy facilities, and industrial and agricultural integration through joint industrial cities and Arab agricultural production and marketing companies.
New Pan-Arab Initiatives Launched:
Under the umbrella of the summit, Iraq launched several major initiatives:
Arab Food Security Initiative focused on grains.
Baghdad Initiative for enhancing Arab cooperation on environmental challenges and climate change.
Safe Shelter Initiative for disaster-affected individuals.
Arab Housing Security Enhancement Initiative.
Support Initiative for Arab countries working with the Middle East and North Africa Financial Action Task Force (MENAFATF) and the Arab Financial Intelligence Units.
Arab Center for Environmental Protection from War Waste.
Arab Center for Artificial Intelligence to be based in Baghdad.
Center for Arab Popular and Cultural Communication.
Arab Joint Security Coordination Room.
Arab Counter-Terrorism Center, also to be based in Baghdad.
He also announced:
The establishment of an Arab Coordination Center for Drug Control in Baghdad.
A Center for Combating Transnational Organized Crime.
Trade and Gaza-Lebanon Reconstruction Fund:
He prop osed creating an Arab Ministers of Trade Council to coordinate and follow up on the Arab trade agenda and responses to regional and international challenges.
Launched the Arab Solidarity Fund for the Reconstruction of Gaza and Lebanon, under the supervision of the Arab League, with Iraq pledging to be the first contributor—a step reflecting Iraq’s developmental and humanitarian commitment to the Arab world and its just causes.
