DUBAI, UAE - Nouri al-Maliki, head of the State of Law Coalition and Iraq’s former prime minister, on Wednesday called on Arab leaders to unite and focus on common challenges, ahead of the upcoming Arab League summit which is set to take place in Baghdad on Saturday.

Baghdad will be home to the 34th Arab League Summit on May 17, where leaders from Arab states will gather and discuss the latest developments in the Arab world. This primarily includes the Israeli war on Gaza, and the new Syrian administration.

During a televised speech, Maliki said Iraq is proud to be hosting the summit again and views it as a sign of its strong role in the Arab world. “Holding the summit in Baghdad again shows that Iraq is a true and important partner with other Arab leaders,” he said.

The former Iraqi premier noted that the Arab region is facing serious internal and external challenges and stressed the need for concerted efforts to confront them, stating that the upcoming summit is “a chance for Arab leaders to work together.”

Dozens of high-profile guests from across the Arab world are set to attend the summit in the Iraqi capital, including Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud (MBS), Jordan’s King Abdullah II, UAE Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, among others.

Maliki said Iraq wants to take part in solving problems in the Arab world and to stay involved in Arab affairs, and urged the participating countries to put aside disputes and work together during the summit.

“We hope the Arab leaders will listen to the demands presented during the summit,” he stated.

Maliki ended his speech by expressing hope that the summit would be a success. “We want this summit to start a new phase of cooperation and unity to face the challenges that affect all of us,” he said.