“Several uncertainties ahead of the EU meeting with arab countries”
“Migration, security and investments will be discussed at the summit between the EU member states and the arab league in Egypt.”
” I think it is very noteworthy that a meeting at this level held but to human rights and democracy explicitly stated on the agenda, says political scientist Anders Persson.”
“the Meeting, which is held during the Sunday and Monday in the egyptian resort of Sharm el-Sheikh, is the first of its kind with the heads of state or government from the EU countries and the league of arab states – among them Sweden’s prime minister Stefan Löfven.”
“On the agenda are, inter alia, climate change, migration, security policy and investments. But Anders Persson put thus, the question of priorities.”
“– Especially considering that the human rights situation is disastrous, in other countries including Egypt right now, ” says Persson, who is a political scientist and Mellanösternkännare at Lund university.”
“The former army general Abd al-Fattah al-Sisi was elected Egypt’s president in 2014, having led a military coup that deposed then-president mohamed Morsi. His time in power has been marred by hard-line attacks against the opposition, and has resulted in a restriction of democracy ”
“the Meeting in Sharm el-Sheikh begins just days after nine egyptian men were executed, convicted of having performed a much-publicized bombing that killed a prosecutor in Cairo 2015. A total of 15 people have been executed in Egypt only during the month of February, according to Amnesty.”
“the UN human rights committee has criticised the trials after several of the men testified that they had been abducted and tortured, and then forced to admit the crime.”
“the Case of the saudi dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi, who was assassinated at the saudi consulate in Istanbul last year, also throws a shadow over the gathering.”
“the UN special investigator assesses that the murder likely was planned at the highest place in the dictatorial controlled the kingdom. The case has shaken Saudi arabia’s relationship with the EU and with the rest of the world.”
“But it is unclear whether Saudi arabia’s crown prince Mohammed bin Salman himself participating in the meeting.”
“– There will be several interesting meetings if the crown prince will. But I have not been able to find a final, confirmed list of participants somewhere, ” says Anders Persson, and adds:” the
“– It is in many ways a meeting shrouded in mystery, which I see as a sign of the times. I notice how more and more summits are held in the day without you know who will be there, what exactly they should talk about or what they want to get to.”
“the EU is divided on the issue of migration”
“the Migration has long been a priority issue in the EU’s cooperation with several arab countries – especially those countries that have a coast on the Mediterranean sea.”
“At the security conference in Munich earlier in February, stressed president al-Sisi’s role in the collaboration by saying that “not a single illegal migrant has taken over the Mediterranean sea from Egypt since 2016”.”
“at the same time exposed the cracks between the EU members, which have long been difficult to agree in the question of how the admission of refugees and migrants are to be distributed.”
“– the EUROPEAN union will be very difficult to show a united front on this issue. In the same way, the arab league, in a classic divided organization never really have done anything important at all. I find it hard to see what concrete results we can expect, if any, ” says Anders Persson.”
“the league of arab states (abbreviated LAS in English, the League of Arab States) founded in 1945, and operates as a common platform for the arab states in matters relating to the economy, culture and politics. The league consists of 22 states, and has its headquarters in Cairo, Egypt.”
“Source: Foreign policy institute”
