Important to make known

The upcoming UN General Assembly regular session, which starts on September 20, is an annual occasion for nations to voice their concerns and fears, as well as their vision for the future.

The agenda of this year’s UN session is literally inundated with regional and international political and economic crises, as well as armed conflicts, the North Korean nuclear programme and the unprecedented refugee crisis that many parts of the world face.

The Arab states can be expected to present to the international community their problems, dangers and challenges they face. 

Unfortunately, the 20 Arab delegations attending this year’s UN meeting will not speak with one voice despite the fact that the UN views them as one “Arab world”.

There is s pressing need for the Arab nation to form a united front this year, when so many regional and international issues on the docket of the UN General Assembly await resolution.

The Palestinian problem needs one single Arab position, and to be put ahead of all other regional conflicts.

The international community has been interpreting the silence of most Arab states on the Palestinian case as a sign of a weakening resolve. Prioritising the Palestinian problem is therefore a must. Downgrading its importance and urgency obviously sends the wrong message to the world.

Syria, Iraq and Yemen are burning issues for the settlement of which the UN members look for guidance at the Arab countries. Yet no help comes from that quarter.

With these three Arab countries still plagued by internal armed conflicts, the absence of one Arab stance on them is confusing to the UN.

No less important are the threatening economic woes that most Arab countries face.

Poverty and unemployment are rife in the majority of them. UN member states facing similar woes would no doubt like to know what measures are being taken to address these problems by Arab nations.

Then, there is the refugee crisis the world is witnessing and that has an impact of sorts on most countries of the world.

Whether generated by conflict in Syria, Iraq or Yemen, created by, mostly, the economic situation in some third world countries or, like in the case of the Rohingya of Myanmar, made by religious extremism, the refugee crisis has snowballed, assuming alarming proportions, led to the death of many and needs to be dealt with reasonably, practically and sustainably.

The UN meeting is also an occasion to press ahead for international support for Jordan and Lebanon, which bear the brunt of the Syrian refugee crisis. 

Last but not least, the UN will very much want to know what advances have been made in promoting democracy and respect for human rights in the Arab world.

Jordan takes pride in having registered rapid progress in that direction; other Arab states have been equally successful, while others still have much to do.

The Arab world must not miss this occasion at the UN to spread the word about its accomplishments, its challenges and its contributions to the international community.