India to host Arab leaders after decade; why it's important
What's the story
India will host the second India-Arab Foreign Ministers' Meeting (IAFMM) in New Delhi on January 31. The meeting will be co-chaired by India and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). It will see participation from foreign ministers of Arab League member states and the Arab League Secretary-General. This is the first such meeting in a decade, with the last one held in Bahrain in 2016.
Agenda
Meeting to build on existing cooperation
The first meeting had identified five priority areas of cooperation: economy, energy, education, media, and culture. The upcoming IAFMM is expected to build on these areas and deepen partnerships. The IAFMM is the highest institutional mechanism driving this partnership, which was formalized in March 2002 when India signed an MoU with the League of Arab States (LAS).
Forum establishment
Arab-India Cooperation Forum and India's observer status
A Memorandum of Cooperation to establish the Arab-India Cooperation Forum was signed during the visit of then-Arab League Secretary-General Amre Moussa to India in December 2008. This MoU was revised in 2013 for a new structural organization. Notably, India is an Observer to the League of Arab States, which has 22 member states. Saturday's event will see the participation of all 22 Arab countries. The IAFMM will be preceded by the 4th India-Arab Senior Officials' Meeting on Friday.
Official welcome
MEA spokesperson welcomes Sudan and Palestine officials
Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal has welcomed the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of Sudan, He Mohieldin Salim Ahmed Ibrahim, ahead of the IAFMM. He said that the visit will strengthen people-to-people ties between India and Sudan. Jaiswal also welcomed Varsen Aghabekian Shahin, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates from Palestine. "The visit reaffirms India's partnership with the people of Palestine and the Arab world," he said.