Egyptian diplomat Ahmed Abul Gheit named as Secretary General of Arab League

Veteran Egyptian diplomat Ahmed Abul Gheit (73) has been selected as Secretary General of the Arab League.
The 22-member league voted unanimously in favour of Aboul Gheit who was only contender for the post at its ministerial meeting held in Cairo, Egypt.
He will succeed Nabil El-Araby, Egyptian diplomat whose term ends in July 2016 after he had rejected second five-year term.
Abul Gheit is a former ambassador of Egypt to the United Nations. He had served as Egypt’s foreign minister from 2004 to 2011 during the final seven years of Hosni Mubarak’s rule.

About Arab League

• The Arab League is a regional organization of Arab countries in and around North Africa, the Horn of Africa and Arabia.
• Objectives: Provide economic, political, cultural, scientific and social programmes designed to promote the interests of the Arab world.
• Draw closer the relations between member States and co-ordinate collaboration between them.
• Safeguard their independence and sovereignty and to consider in a general way the affairs and interests of the Arab countries.
• Founded: on 22 March 1945 in Cairo in Cairo by six members viz. Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, and Syria.
• Members: Currently, the League has 22 members including Syria whose participation has been suspended since November 2011.

Month: Current Affairs - March, 2016