EU – League of Arab States summit, 24-25 February 2019

Summary:

The first summit between the European Union and the Arab League was held on 24-25 February 2019, in Sharm El-Sheikh (Egypt).

Further information:

The summit was an opportunity for the EU and the League of Arab States (LAS) to strengthen ties and address a range of issues and common challenges (such as multilateralism, security and migration). Both sides also discussed the latest developments in the Arab world, including the Middle East Peace Process, and the situation in a set of specific countries.

A ministerial meeting between LAS and the EU was held ahead of this summit, which featured the heads of state and government.

Official

European Council: Opening remarks by President Donald Tusk at the EU-LAS summit in Egypt, 24 February 2019 https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2019/02/24/remarks-by-president-donald-tusk-at-the-eu-las-summit-in-egypt/

European Commission: Intervention du Président Jean-Claude Juncker à la séance d'ouverture du sommet Union européenne-Ligue des États arabes http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_SPEECH-19-1408_fr.htm

Sharm El-Sheikh summit declaration, 25 February 2019 https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2019/02/25/sharm-el-sheikh-summit-declaration/

European Council: Remarks by President Donald Tusk at the press conference after the EU-LAS summit in Egypt https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2019/02/25/remarks-by-president-donald-tusk-at-the-press-conference-of-the-eu-las-summit-in-egypt/

European Commission: Remarques du Président Juncker à la conférence de presse avec le Président de l'Egypte Al-Sisi, le Président du Conseil européen Tusk et le Secrétaire général de la Ligue des Etats arabes Aboul Gheit, au sommet UE-Ligue des Etats arabes http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_SPEECH-19-1415_fr.htm

European Commission: Press Release, 25/02/2019: EU – League of Arab States Summit: Boosting the Euro-Arab partnership and addressing global challenges together http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_IP-19-1388_en.htm

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News

Reuters, 22/02/2019: High turnout, low expectations for first EU-Arab summit https://www.reuters.com/article/idUSKCN1QB27S

Cyprus Mail, 23/02/2019: Anastasiades off to Egypt for first-ever EU-Arab League Summit https://cyprus-mail.com/2019/02/23/anastasiades-off-to-egypt-for-first-ever-eu-arab-league-summit/

Deutsche Welle, 24/02/2019: EU, Arab League forge connections at first desert summit https://p.dw.com/p/3Dz5s

Euronews, 24/02/2019: Terrorism, migration central at first ever EU-Arab League summit https://www.euronews.com/2019/02/24/terrorism-migration-central-at-first-ever-eu-arab-league-summit

Al-Jazeera, 25/02/2019: EU-Arab League summit in Egypt is 'insignificant, ceremonial' https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2019/02/eu-arab-league-summit-egypt-insignificant-ceremonial-190224120242905.html

France24, 24/02/2019: First joint EU-Arab summit, an opportunity to protect against China and Russia https://www.france24.com/en/20190224-first-eu-arab-summit-egypt-opportunity-cooperation

Reuters, 24/02/2019: Arab League, EU seek synchrony on regional crises in first summit https://www.reuters.com/article/idUSKCN1QD0UZ

The Guardian, 25/02/2019: Theresa May pledges £200m to help victims of Yemen's civil war https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/feb/25/theresa-may-pledges-200m-to-help-victims-of-yemens-civil-war

Radio Poland, 24/02/2019: Polish PM at EU-Arab League summit in Egypt http://www.thenews.pl/1/10/Artykul/408008

RFI, 24/02/2019: EU, Arab League hold first summit, but no 'deal in the desert' for Brexit http://en.rfi.fr/europe/20190224-eu-arab-league-hold-first-summit-security-trade-brexit

Euronews, 25/02/2019: Both sides declare first EU-Arab League summit a success https://www.euronews.com/2019/02/25/both-sides-declare-first-eu-arab-league-summit-a-success

Hungary Today, 25/12/2019: Orbán on EU-Arab League Summit: Causes of Tensions Triggered by Migration to Strengthen https://hungarytoday.hu/orban-on-eu-arab-league-summit-causes-of-tensions-triggered-by-migration-to-strengthen/

Politico, 25/02/2019: EU, Arab leaders draw lines in the sand https://www.politico.eu/article/egypt-abdel-fattah-el-sisi-capital-punishment-death-penalty-europeeu-arab-leaders-draw-line-in-the-sand/

Deutsche Welle, 25/02/2019: Terror, migration dominate EU and Arab League's first summit https://p.dw.com/p/3E1zi

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Commentary and Analysis

Euro|topics, February 2019: What has the EU-Arab League summit achieved? https://www.eurotopics.net/en/215437/

CEPS: Commentaries, 14/02/2019: The EU-Arab Summit: A chance to reset relations with the Arab world? https://www.ceps.eu/publications/eu-arab-summit-chance-reset-relations-arab-world

ECFR: Commentary, 15/02/2019: League and nations: Europe’s unity struggle at the Sharm El-Sheikh summit https://www.ecfr.eu/article/commentary_league_and_nations_europes_unity_struggle_at_the_sharm_el_sheikh

EPRS: Briefing, February 2019: The first EU-Arab League summit: A new step in EU-Arab relations http://www.europarl.europa.eu/thinktank/en/document.html?reference=EPRS_BRI(2019)635531

The Guardian, 24/02/2019: The Guardian view on Egypt and Europe: embracing authoritarianism https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2019/feb/24/the-guardian-view-on-egypt-and-europe-embracing-authoritarianism

Deutsche Welle, 25/02/2019: EU and Arab League still searching for common ground https://p.dw.com/p/3E5LH

Robert Schuman Foundation: European Issue No 504, 25/02/2019: Migration at the heart of the EU-Arab League Summit https://www.robert-schuman.eu/en/european-issues/0504-migration-at-the-heart-of-the-eu-arab-league-summit

EurActiv, 27/02/2019: A divided EU and a divided Arab League put on a fragile show of unity https://www.euractiv.com/section/global-europe/opinion/a-divided-eu-and-a-divided-arab-league-put-on-a-fragile-show-of-unity/

Foreign Policy, 03/03/2019: Europe Isn’t Realistic. It’s Weak. https://foreignpolicy.com/2019/03/03/europe-isnt-realistic-its-weak/

LSE: EUROPP Blog, 09/05/2019: Can the EU and the League of Arab States develop closer relations? History suggests otherwise https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/europpblog/2019/05/09/can-the-eu-and-the-league-of-arab-states-develop-closer-relations-history-suggests-otherwise/

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