The meeting began with a speech delivered by Bahraini Foreign Minister Abdullatif Al Zayani, in which he reviewed the outcomes of the previous Arab Summit, hosted by his country on May 16, 2024, before handing over the presidency of the preparatory meeting to his Iraqi counterpart, Fuad Hussein.
In his speech, the Iraqi Foreign Minister affirmed his country's support for Syria's stability, emphasizing that the Palestinian issue remains "our central issue."
For his part, Arab League Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul Gheit noted that "the occupation's plan knows no end, not only in Palestine, but also in Syria and Lebanon."
Following the opening remarks, the Iraqi Minister declared the opening session closed and the closed working session began.
Arab foreign ministers began arriving in Baghdad on Wednesday to participate in preparatory meetings for the summit.
This year's summit is being held under the theme "Dialogue, Solidarity, and Development," amid escalating regional crises, most notably the ongoing Israeli war on the Gaza Strip, which has lasted for nineteen months, along with other issues including Syria and Sudan.
