The General Secretariat of the League of Arab States – Technical Secretariat of the Council of Arab Ministers of Transport – organised the 38th meeting of the Council of Arab Ministers of Transport, in coordination with the Ministry of Transport of the Arab Republic of Egypt, at the Al-Manara International Conference Centre in Cairo on 10 November.
The delegation of the General Secretariat was headed by His Excellency Ambassador Dr. Ali bin Ibrahim Al-Maliki, Assistant Secretary-General and head of the Economic Affairs Sector. The Executive Bureau of the Council was chaired by His Excellency Lieutenant General Kamel Abdel-Hadi Al-Wazir, Deputy Prime Minister for Industrial Development and Minister of Transport and Industry of the Arab Republic of Egypt. The Council was chaired by Her Excellency Dr. Noura Mohamed Al-Mashaan, Minister of Public Works of the State of Kuwait. A number of Arab Ministers of Transport and Communications, as well as representatives from leading Arab and international organisations in the transport field, participated in the meeting.
His Excellency Ambassador Dr. Al-Maliki affirmed that the General Secretariat of the League of Arab States gives great importance to deepening Arab cooperation in the transport sector in all its forms. He commended the efforts of member states in establishing legal frameworks governing cooperation and coordination mechanisms among Arab countries in the transport sector, which have led to the adoption of numerous Arab agreements and strategic projects linking the Arab world through major road, railway, maritime, and air transport networks.
He also highlighted his initiative to establish a committee to review these agreements, along with another committee to develop mechanisms for their activation, contributing to the advancement of the transport and logistics system and promoting intra-Arab trade. This review helped revive a number of agreements that had remained inactive due to successive regional developments, resulting in several arab countries joining these agreements.
His Excellency also highlighted the topics on the meeting's agenda, which include numerous issues related to land, sea, and air transport. These topics require a renewed vision aligned with evolving international trends to develop the existing transport systems in Arab countries and to facilitate intra-regional transport, which will undoubtedly enhance the competitiveness of Arab nations. It is hoped that the notable Council will adopt practical decisions with a tangible impact on the transport systems of Arab countries.
Topics to be discussed for the first time at the Ministerial Council and its Executive Bureau include, but are not limited to: the Arab Programme for Reducing Maritime Disasters; a comprehensive Arab agreement for maritime cooperation; enhancing cybersecurity in Arab civil aviation; establishing a technical committee to facilitate transport and trade among Arab states; developing a unified Arab strategy for road safety; developing and sharing information related to transport, storage, and logistics strategies among member states; the use of clean energy in land transport; and sharing lessons and experiences among member states.
In addition, several important items related to the transport sector in all its forms will be addressed, most notably: supporting the Palestinian economy and implementing the strategic plan for sectoral development in Jerusalem; adopting a mechanism for implementing the Arab Agreement on Regulating Passenger Transport by Road between and through Arab States; developing an action plan for the Agreement on Regulating the Transport of Goods by Road between Arab States, which entered into force following its ratification by the State of Palestine; following up on the establishment of the electronic portal for land transport among Arab states; adopting the draft agreement to regulate maritime transport procedures for passengers and goods among Arab states; and the amended agreement on the exchange of exemptions from customs duties and taxes on the activities and equipment of Arab air carriers.
The Council will also study Sudan's vision for developing logistics zones and their impact on development. The Arab Economic Sector will be reviewed, and members of the Executive Bureau of the Council of Arab Ministers of Transport will be elected for a two-year term (October 2025 – October 2027).
On the sidelines of the meeting, a consultative session for ministers will be held, and the Academy's General Assembly will convene at the ministerial level for its 30th session.
