Tag Archives: Arab

At Arab League Summit, Guterres reiterates call for Gaza ceasefire

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António Guterres told leaders meeting in the Iraqi capital that “the region and the world face trials and tests on all fronts,” starting with the situation in Gaza.

He reiterated that neither the atrocious 7 October 2023 terror attacks by Hamas nor the collective punishment of the Palestinian people can be justified.

Permanent ceasefire now

“We need a permanent ceasefire, now. The unconditional release of all hostages, now. And the free flow of humanitarian aid ending the blockade, now,” he said.

The Secretary-General expressed alarm over reports that Israel plans to expand ground operations in Gaza and stressed that the UN “will not participate in any so-called aid operation that does not adhere to international law and the humanitarian principles of humanity, impartiality, independence and neutrality.”

He again called for full support for UN Palestine refugee agency UNRWA, including funding.  

Two-State solution at risk

The UN chief rejected the repeated displacement of the Gaza population, as well as any suggestion of forced displacement outside Gaza, and urged leaders to remain focused on the terrible situation in the occupied West Bank.

“Let’s be clear,” he said. “Annexation is illegal.  Settlements are illegal. Only a two-State solution can deliver sustainable peace.”

He said the high-level conference in June, co-chaired by France and Saudi Arabia, is an important opportunity.

“The world, the region – and, most of all, the people of Palestine and Israel – cannot afford to watch the two-State solution disappear before our eyes,” he said.

Respect Lebanese sovereignty

The Secretary-General addressed the situation in Lebanon.  He emphasized that the country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity must be respected, and the Government must have full control over the entire territory.

He was encouraged by continued progress on reforms as well as efforts to deploy the Lebanese Armed Forces to the south, with support from the UN Mission in the country, UNIFIL.

Mr. Guterres touched on Syria, saying sovereignty, independence, unity and territorial integrity are critical.  He urged strong support for an inclusive Syrian-led and Syrian-owned political process that safeguards the rights and participation of all the country’s people and ensures their protection.

Regarding Yemen, he noted that attacks by Houthi rebels in the Red Sea have caused significant damage to regional and local economies. He welcomed the cessation of hostilities between the Houthis and the United States, announced by Oman on 6 May.

The Secretary-General also called for the release of UN staff and other personnel in Yemen who have been arbitrarily arrested.

Engagement on Sudan

In Sudan, renewed and coordinated multilateral engagement is crucial to help stem appalling violence, famine, and mass displacement, he said, and thanked the Arab League and African Union (AU) for the excellent coordination meeting convened the previous day.  He also commended the Arab League’s efforts to strengthen multilateral coordination.

The Secretary-General turned next to Somalia, saying unity and inclusive dialogue are imperative. Furthermore, assistance from Somalia’s partners will be essential in the fight against Al-Shabaab militants and to strengthen peace and security.

For this reason, Mr. Guterres said he has put forward a recommendation to the UN Security Council to enable predictable and sustainable financing for the AU Support and Stabilization Mission in the country.

Meanwhile in Libya, the UN is also actively engaging in efforts to end the confrontation between armed groups, to preserve the independence of key oversight institutions, to address obstacles preventing national elections, and set the course for long-term stability and prosperity in line with the people’s needs and aspirations.

Lessons from Baghdad

The Secretary-General concluded his remarks by commending the progress Iraq has made over since the restoration of sovereignty in 2004, such as strengthening institutions, resolving outstanding disputes through dialogue, and promoting sustainable development as well as human rights.

He said the UN Assistance Mission in Iraq (UNAMI) has accompanied the country on this path and is working to ensure the successful delivery of its residual mandate and an orderly drawdown by the end of the year.

“Despite the enormous challenges, let us draw lessons and hope from here in Baghdad. Working in unity and solidarity, we can help resolve conflicts and build a future of peace and prosperity,” he said.

Gaza situation ‘beyond inhumane’

Speaking later to reporters, Mr. Guterres said the situation for Palestinians in Gaza “is beyond description, beyond atrocious and beyond inhumane.”

Since 2 March, Israel has banned the entry of cargo into the Strip, including aid and other life-saving supplies. UN agencies continue to warn that the entire population, 2.1 million people, is at risk of famine and one if five faces starvation.

“A policy of siege and starvation makes a mockery of international law,” he said, calling for the blockade to end immediately.

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Over 60 per cent of the Arab world still outside the banking system

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Even more impressively, the number of Egyptian women with an account increased by 260 per cent, though gender gaps do remain.

But how you widen financial inclusion overall is a question the Arab region is currently grappling with.

A new report from the UN Economic and Social Commission in Western Asia (UNESCWA) published on Thursday highlights the challenge.

Nearly 64 per cent of adults in the 22 countries in the Arab region are still without an account – or “unbanked” – a higher number than all other regions of the world and significantly higher than the 24 per cent global average.

The report warns that this level of financial exclusion will negatively impact economic opportunities and the region’s ability to meet Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030.

“The Arab region cannot afford to treat financial services as a luxury. Without inclusive finance, we cannot hope to lift people out of poverty, support small businesses, or achieve equitable growth,” said ESCWA’s Mario Jales, lead author of the report.

‘The digital divide within the divide’

The report finds that women and disabled people have even less access to financial services – only 29 per cent of women and 21 per cent of disabled people in the region have an account.

Similarly, rural communities and younger and older people also experience lower rates of inclusion in the banking system.

The report also highlighted that access to loans for small and medium-sized businesses is worryingly low, reducing entrepreneurial and other income-producing activities.

In addition to gender disparities, there are variations within the Arab region – 81 per cent of people in low-income countries do not have access to an account in comparison to 67 per cent in middle-income countries and 23 per cent in the high-income bracket. 

As of 2024, 69 percent of Egyptian women have bank accounts, a large increase from 2016.

Models of success

Given that regional rates of financial inclusion remain so low, how do countries work to improve them?

The basis of Egypt’s success was the implementation of a comprehensive national strategy to promote financial inclusion, a strategy which actively worked to target underserved communities, ESCWA points out.

For example, in Egypt, 22 per cent of ATMs in the country have now been equipped with accessibility features including brighter lighting and Braille keyboards.

Other countries in the region have also implemented national strategies which include targeted initiatives.

Jordan, which has the second widest gender gap in the region, implemented a Microfund for Women to provide loans for income-generating activities. There are now 60 branches across the country, serving 133,000 borrowers, 95 per cent of whom are women.

Moreover, some banks in the region have worked to implement financial literacy classes and others have worked to tailor their services to underserved communities including by lowering minimum deposits.

The report concludes that an expansion of all these activities – national policymaking which targets underserved communities and private bank activities which lower barriers to entry and support financial literacy – will be essential in improving financial inclusion.

“The path forward exists, but it requires political will, targeted investment and a whole-of-society approach,” the report concludes.