The 65th symposium of the Committee for the Unification of Military Terminology and Concepts commenced on 20 October and will continue through 31 October at the headquarters of the General Secretariat of the League of Arab States. The symposium is chaired by Colonel Mohammed bin Qalam bin Khamis Al-Hinai, head of the Sultanate of Oman's delegation, and Minister Plenipotentiary Tariq Abdul Salam, Director of the Military Administration. A distinguished group of officers from the armed forces of 15 Arab countries are participating, with the aim of studying military abbreviations for the Land Forces, Navy, Air Force, Air Defense Forces, Weapons of Mass Destruction, Signals and Information Systems, and Joint Supply/Administrative Affairs (including Supply, Transportation, and Medical Services).
In the opening address, Minister Plenipotentiary Tariq Abdel Salam conveyed greetings from His Excellency Mr. Ahmed Aboul Gheit, Secretary-General of the League of Arab States, as well as from His Excellency Ambassador Khalil Ibrahim Al-Dhawadi, Assistant Secretary-General and head of the Arab Affairs and National Security Sector. He underscored the significance of the symposium, noting that the unification of military terminology, concepts, symbols, and abbreviations is critical to enhancing joint Arab military cooperation, particularly during military exercises conducted between Arab nations. He also emphasised that the subject of this symposium is an essential continuation of previous efforts to advance the shared interests of the Arab armed forces, and highlighted the importance of updating the military dictionary, which was first issued in 2007, to reflect current terminology as of 2024.
The General Secretariat of the League of Arab States (Arab Affairs and National Security Sector – Military Administration) has received five studies from member states, including Tunisia, Algeria, Iraq, Morocco, and the Gulf Cooperation Council. These studies focus on military abbreviations and will be thoroughly discussed to develop unified abbreviations, which will then be incorporated into the updated military dictionary. This updated dictionary will be circulated among member states for use in joint Arab military exercises and distributed to military educational institutions across the region.
