Arab League Secretary General Ahmed Abul Gheit has taken part in the Second Forum on Economy and Cooperation of Arab Countries with the Central Asian States and the Republic of Azerbaijan.

Arab League Spokesman Mahmoud Afifi said Abul Gheit addressed the inaugural session of the forum on the importance of historic and cultural relations binding the Arab countries with Central Asian states in order to develop mutual cooperation in the political, cultural, economic, social fields.

The AL chief also noted that the forum, since its establishment in 2014, is considered an important step on the road to cooperation and prosperity for the peoples of the two regions. 

The forum kicked off on Monday in the Tajikistan capital Dushanbe.

The Arab League chief had received an invitation to attend the gathering from Tajikistan ambassador in Cairo Khesro Nazer, added the spokesman.

The ministers of foreign affairs, economy and finance of Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan will take part in the meeting as well as Arab financial institutions. 

The AL chief has met with Tajikistan President Emomali Rahmon on the fringe of the forum activities. The two sides exchanged viewpoints on a set of regional and international issues of common interest, especially means to combat terrorism and extremism, energy security, water crises as well as the conflicts in Syria, Yemen and Libya.

Source: MENA