Article Link: https://www.reuters.com/article/algeria-arabs-summit-idAFKBN2RR2NS
Summary: Algeria hosted the 2022 Arab League Summit in Algiers in early November. This is the first conference since the COVID-19 pandemic, which saw the prior conferences canceled. This conference comes a month after Algeria had successfully brokered a deal with Hamas and the Fatah governments of Palestine to hold elections in Palestine. Algeria attempted to convince the Arab states to re-allow Syria into the Arab League, after they had been kicked out in a historic vote in 2011 after Assad’s crimes against humanity became international headlines. The status of Turkey and Iran as regional powers was also discussed at the conference; there is much tension between the Arab League’s states, as multiple forwarded to normalize ties with Israel in the last Arab League Summit. Furthermore, there is bad blood between Morocco and Algeria after the United States recognized Western Sahara as part of Morocco in 2020, which had promptly led to the closing of the airspace from Morocco and a cut of all diplomatic ties. This summit is believed to be likely unsuccessful in solving any of the major discussed topics.
Analysis: Algeria is attempting to increase its leverage as a state in the Arab League and the region in general. Facilitating peace talks between Palestine’s various factions and attempting to get Syria back into the Arab league shows clear intention that they seek to increase their regional influence. However, reality will not follow what Algeria seeks. The Arab League has politically fractured itself over the past generations, as its various members have slowly become shy towards opposing Israel and infighting between members has become consistent. Unlike other IGOs, the Arab League is mostly homogenous (Iran and Turkey). Arabs are one nation, but the various political factions in the past had stopped Arabs from uniting into one state, which has translated into a gradual division between Arab nation. The fact that Sudan, Morocco, Bahrain, and the UAE normalized ties with Israel, while some other Arab nations have vowed for their destruction shows the divide between the various Arab states continues to grow. Algeria simply cannot escape this reality and will have to choose a side. Lastly, the exit of the United States from the Middle East is slowly killing the Arab League, as the power vacuum is too tempting to fill by the many states in the Middle East and is leading to Arab states to fight.
Connection to Class: The Arab League exists as a political and cultural IGO as all of its members share Islam as a cultural identity and all unite to discuss solving regional issues. Furthermore, Algeria is seeking to upset the regional system of bipolarity between Iran and Turkey in the Arab World. If they were able to successfully get Syria back into the Arab League, they would have an additional ally in the organization and increase their leverage. This is also shown by the fact they were the ones to facilitate a groundbreaking deal between Fatah and Hamas to hold elections in Palestine.