The State of Palestine formally deposited its ratification document for the Agreement on Regulating Transit Transport between the States of the League of Arab States (Amended), at the headquarters of the General Secretariat of the League of Arab States on 17 December. The agreement was adopted by the Economic and Social Council through Resolution 2327, adopted at the 109th ordinary session on 10/2/2022.
The amended agreement seeks to establish a unified and transparent legal framework aimed at facilitating and streamlining transportation procedures across Arab territories. It provides necessary benefits and eases restrictions that hinder the movement of goods between Arab countries. This initiative aligns with efforts to enhance economic cooperation, strengthen ties among League of Arab States member states, and advance Arab economic integration, in fulfillment of Article Two of the Charter of the League of Arab States, which calls for fostering close collaboration in economic and financial affairs.
His Excellency Ambassador Muhannad Abdul Karim Al-Aklouk, Permanent Representative of the State of Palestine to the League of Arab States, signed the agreement on behalf of the Palestinian side. Representing the General Secretariat of the League of Arab States, His Excellency Ambassador Dr. Mohamed El-Amin Ould Akik, Assistant Secretary-General and head of the Legal Affairs Sector, signed the agreement. The signing ceremony was attended by Minister Plenipotentiary Dr. Sally Samir Sabry, Director of the Department of Treaties and International Law, alongside Counsellor Dr. Ahmed Nizar, Supervisor of the Department of Arab Economic Integration, and members of both departments.
The amended agreement will enter into force once five States Parties deposit their ratification documents. For any other Arab state, the agreement will take effect one month after the date of depositing its ratification or accession documents. As stipulated in Article 39 of the agreement, its provisions will replace those of the Agreement on Regulating Transit Transport between the Arab States of 1977.
The amended agreement has thus far been signed by three Arab states—Palestine, Qatar, and Libya—and ratified by two states: the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the State of Palestine.
