By the Gazette Editorial Board Though it has been almost axiomatic in Arab political affairs to consider emergency summits more important than regular conferences, the 29th regular Arab summit that took place in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia, on Sunday was in fact as much central and relevant for common Arab concerns as emergency. Underlying this assessment are two main considerations. First is the observation that Sunday's summit convened against a background of mounting political and security challenges to the Arab world; hence the need for building a joint Arab position in addressing such challenges especially as represented by the latest developments of the Palestinian cause, the continuation of the Syrian, Libyan and Yemeni crises and the dangers of terrorism, in addition to the plethora of threats to Arab national security. Doubtlessly, these threats and challenges are grave and immense but they nevertheless can be duly dealt with, as President Sisi said in his address to the summit's first session Sunday, through true resolve and coordinated efforts. Second, as an ordinary session of the Arab world's highest-level decision-making mechanism, Sunday's summit in Dhahran looked into the diverse issues pertaining to social and economic development which is admittedly as pivotal for the Arab world as the maintenance of stability and national security. Needless to say, with the Syrian, Libyan and Yemeni crises remaining unsolved, the integrity of the national state continues to be fragile and seriously threatened, let alone the grave humanitarian sufferings involved, in effect adversely affecting not only the stability and security of the Arab region but also the very path and pace of socio-economic development within the framework of joint Arab action. Under the conditions, the challenges are so tremendous and tough that they demand serious collective action especially since the main body of joint Arab economic action is based upon the principles of solidarity and complementarity. Such a deeply-intertwined connection between the political and economic dimensions of the aspired modality of dealing with challenges that the Arab world is facing confers special value on Dhahran summit's consideration of such issues as the effects of terrorism on social development, reinvigorating the Arab free trade zone, completing the connectivity of Arab transport and energy infrastructures and bolstering inter-Arab investments. These four examples in particular point to the integrated perspective that characterised the 18-item agenda of the Dhahran summit.
