Butaflika: An Afro- Arab strategic partnership
An official source in Algiers has stated that some 24 Arab and African states started on Wednesday in Algiers their first meeting since 10 years in an attempt to resume cooperation between the Arab states and the African Continent.
The ministerial permanent committee of the Afro- Arab cooperation started its ministerial session on Wednesday at al-Umam ( Nations) palace, for the first time since 1989.
The meetings are attended by the Algerian President Abdul Aziz Butaflika, the secretary general of the Organization of African Unity Salim Ahmad Salim and the secretary general of the Arab league AL Ismat Abdul Miguid. This committee which is known as the " 24 committee " includes 12 African states and 12 Arab states, was established during the first Afro-Arab summit held in Cairo in 1977 but its meetings stopped since 1991.
Butaflika denounced at the inaugural speech the " weak" Afro-Arab cooperation and called on the participants to " define the axis to establish a strategic partnership." Salim, for his part announced that Africa and the Arab states will open " a new page in their common history." Abdul Miguid expressed his hope that Algerian meeting will be an " introduction to strengthen Afro- Arab cooperation."
