India and UAE to co-chair 2nd India-Arab Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in New Delhi

Key facts

• The 2nd India-Arab Foreign Ministers’ Meeting will be held in New Delhi on Saturday, co-chaired by India and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
• Foreign ministers of 20 Arab League member states and the Arab League Secretary-General will participate in the meeting.
• The first India-Arab Foreign Ministers’ Meeting took place in Bahrain in 2016, and the current meeting occurs after a 10-year gap.
• The 2016 meeting identified five priority cooperation verticals: economy, energy, education, media and culture.
• Palestinian Foreign Minister Varsen Aghabekian Shahin urged increased Indian participation in Gaza reconstruction and continued support to UNRWA for Palestinian refugees.
• India has supported Palestinian education through schools in the West Bank and higher education centres in Gaza, some of which were destroyed in the last two years.
• The Gaza peace plan and regional peace and stability are expected agenda items at the meeting.