The 23rd session of the Arab Transport Ministers Council wrapped up in Alexandria on Wednesday after participants failed to reach agreement on means of forging closer Arab cooperation in the field of air transport.
Informed sources attributed the failure to reach consensus on "security considerations."
According to Tunisian Transport Minister and council chairman Abdul Rahim al-Zawawi, only four countries–Jordan, Yemen, Saudi Arabia and Tunisia–have endorsed a proposed pan-Arab agreement on the liberalization of the air transport sector.
Al-Zawawi called on the remaining countries to sign on to the treaty, the delayed ratification of which he described as "unfortunate." He went on to point out that an air transport liberalization agreement had already been implemented in Morocco "with good results."
In related news, transport ministers from Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Jordan–the three member states of the Arab Bridge Maritime Company–gathered at the 45th session of the Meeting of the Executive Office of Arab Transport Ministers on Tuesday. At the meeting, participants agreed to commission three new ferries for the transport of cargo and passengers between the three countries.
Arab Bridge Maritime Company CEO Nabil Lutfi said the ministers planned to discuss next year’s investment plan, which will include the launch of a new passenger ferry between Egypt and Jordan.
