- Title: El-Araby bids farewell as Arab League names new chief
- Date: 10th March 2016
- Summary: CAIRO, EGYPT (MARCH 10, 2016) (REUTERS) EXTERIOR OF ARAB LEAGUE ARAB LEAGUE FLAG ARAB LEAGUE PLENARY HALL (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) SECRETARY GENERAL OF THE ARAB LEAGUE, NABIL EL-ARABY, SAYING: "It was my destiny to work at Arab collective action in the most difficult circumstances and critical moments that the Arab region is passing through. The situation is in your hands - th
- Embargoed: 25th March 2016 19:42
- Keywords: Arab League chief Ahmed Aboul Gheit Nabil El-Araby farewell
- Location: CAIRO, EGYPT
- City: CAIRO, EGYPT
- Country: Egypt
- Topics: Government/Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA00148CLF7R
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: The Arab League chose former Egyptian foreign minister Ahmed Aboul Gheit on Thursday (March 10) as its new secretary-general, after diplomats said the vote was delayed for hours due to Qatari reservations.
Aboul Gheit served as Egypt's foreign minister during the final seven years of Hosni Mubarak's rule, leaving his post in 2011, following the mass protests that toppled the ageing ruler.
Qatar welcomed Mubarak's fall and supported Islamist President Mohamed Mursi, who was elected in 2012 and overthrown a year later by the army after protests against his rule.
The 22-member organisation voted unanimously in favour of Aboul Gheit after much debate. He will replace Nabil El-Araby, who served as Egypt's foreign minister under a transitional government formed after the 2011 uprising.
El-Araby said last month that he would not seek another term as secretary-general after his current one ends in July.
"It was my destiny to work at Arab collective action in the most difficult circumstances and critical moments that the Arab region is passing through. The situation is in your hands - the Arab nations. The Arab League Secretary-General and all its instruments will be the most suitable to support member states and protect its higher interests," said El-Araby after the announcement.
The Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shukri commended El-Araby on his leadership and said he was a source of "pride" to the Arab world.
"We are commending Dr. Nabil El-Araby as he does not only have great expertise that prides Egyptian diplomacy, he is also a legal power that contributed to world justice. He is a pride to Egypt and the Arab region as a whole," said Shukri.
The debate over Araby's successor follows Morocco's announcement last month that it would not host the 2016 Arab League meeting as scheduled, saying it wanted to avoid giving a false impression of unity in the Arab world.
The Arab League has recently been a forum for predominantly Sunni Muslim countries led by Saudi Arabia to air grievances with regional Shi'ite power Iran.
The two regional powers are backing different sides in Syria's civil war and different factions in neighbouring Lebanon. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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