Arab League chief warns against rise of populism

Regional and international conditions have plunged the region into turmoil, the Arab League's Secretary General Ahmad Abul Gheit said.
In a speech to open the seventh edition of a conference on conflicts in the Arab world, organised by the Lebanese army's centre for research and studies, Abul Gheit warned against the rise of populism in the West.
On the Arab League's role in the prevention of conflicts in the Arab world, he said it has largely been limited due to the manoeuvrings of nations involved in those conflicts, Kuwait News Agency (KUNA) reported.
Abul Gheit lamented rapid social change in the region, where 60 per cent of the population is below the age of 29, noting that the stagnant economy has threatened the stability of many Arab nations.
The Arab League's Secretary General urged Arab militaries to step up efforts to fight armed groups and militias, who pose a grave threat to the region's security.
Lebanese Major General Fadi Abuchakra said that the conference was significant and aimed to uncover the causes behind volatile conditions in the region.
The three-day conference will examine the future of the Middle East as regional and international conflicts remain largely unabated.

Source: BNA