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New Arab League chief
Nabil Fahmy officially assumed office as Secretary-General of the League of Arab States on Wednesday, succeeding Ahmed Aboul Gheit in a formal handover ceremony at the League’s General Secretariat headquarters in Cairo.
The Arab League announced in a post on X that former Egyptian Foreign Minister Nabil Fahmy had taken up his duties as Secretary-General, and Anadolu Ajansı said Fahmy assumed his duties during an official ceremony at the League’s headquarters in Cairo.
An official statement cited by Anadolu Ajansı said Fahmy took over from Aboul Gheit in the presence of assistant secretaries-general and a number of league officials, and it said Fahmy then met assistant secretaries-general to discuss priorities for the coming phase.
SANA said Fahmy signed his first official correspondence addressed to Arab leaders expressing his appreciation for the confidence placed in him, and it said he also signed letters to Arab foreign ministers outlining an assessment of current regional developments and proposals aimed at strengthening the Arab world’s capacity to address ongoing challenges.
Handover briefings
After the handover ceremony, WAFA said Fahmy received briefings from General Secretariat officials on the latest political developments and held a meeting with assistant secretaries-general to discuss priorities for the coming phase and working mechanisms across the League’s various sectors.
QNA reported that Fahmy chaired a meeting with assistant secretaries-general to discuss priorities for the coming period and review the working methods and operations across the organization’s various sectors.
QNA also said Fahmy signed his first official correspondence as secretary-general, including letters to Arab heads of state expressing his appreciation for the confidence they placed in him.
In that same QNA account, Fahmy signed letters addressed to Arab foreign ministers outlining his assessment of the regional situation and proposing measures to strengthen the Arab world and the Arab League in addressing current challenges, advancing institutional reform, and supporting economic and social development efforts.
Term and background
Multiple outlets tied Fahmy’s start to the Arab League Council’s decision on June 22, with BFM saying he would take office in early July for a five-year term and CNN Arabic saying the appointment was approved for five years starting July 1.
BFM described Fahmy as the former Egyptian foreign minister and said he was the eighth Egyptian to hold the post, while CNN Arabic said the choice reflected appreciation for the diplomatic experience Fahmy possesses and his long professional career.
CNN Arabic added that Fahmy is the son of former foreign minister Ismail Fahmy and said he holds a bachelor’s degree in physics and mathematics and a master’s degree in administration from The American University in Cairo.
CNN Arabic also said Fahmy published a book in English titled "Egyptian Diplomacy in War, Peace, and the Transitional Phase" in February 2020, and later published an updated Arabic edition in January 2022 titled "From the Heart of the Events."
