I was reading a piece in the Financial Times last week about the Arab League divide after the summit held in Khartoum. During this summit Saudi Arabia delivered the final blow to a series of setbacks to this organisation.

Albeit steered by one of the region’s best diplomats, Amre Moussa, the Arab League is a league of divided nations. The league failed to unite Arab nations and in Khartoum, the Saudi government represented by the Labour Minister, made the divide general knowledge when he announced that the Kingdom would not host next year’s annual meeting as it had promised. Instead, it may now be held in Egypt.

The summit ended as it started, in bitterness. Arab Nations divided and opposing each other on various issues. The summit was held amid the region’s failure to handle problems the proper way. From Iraq to the Middle East, problems with Syria and Lebanon.

For an annual meeting considered to be the ideal forum for Arab leaders to meet and discuss important issues, 10 of the 22 leaders did not bother to show up in Khartoum. A good number of those who attended left the summit before its conclusion.

Clashes were reported among many delegations during the “behind closed doors” sessions. The Lebanese and Syrians refused to sit next to each other, and it was also reported that the Libyan leader walked out of the summit because he was disallowed to make an official address to the delegates. Relations between Colonel Gaddafi and the Saudi King have deteriorated since the 2003 summit when both leaders publicly insulted each other. It has been said that this was one of the main reasons why the Riyadh government refused to let the leaders of their brother nations meet in their city. But it can also be said that the Saudis refused to keep to their commitment to avoid yet another flop.

One phrase that clearly describes the Arab League is ‘Talking shop’. Nothing else can be added to this phrase to describe this group of leaders (or their representatives!). It is also the largest gathering of authoritarian figures and dictators. It is a place where dictators may find themselves at ease trying to justify themselves for their illegitimate acts done at home. So what’s next for the Arab League?

The future is not so bright for our neighbours. It is quite obvious that there are divisions in the Arab League, divisions that are going to leave their mark on the troubled regions. Hence, Arab nations look to outside powers to solve their national and international problems. The decision to host an annual meeting of Arab League leaders was taken six years ago with the intention to strengthen the organisation. Instead it has sparked more conflicts between Arab nations, which look more divided than ever.

One comment in the international press about this meeting said it all. As the summit coincided with Israel’s election the influential Arab news service Al Jazeera gave more attention to the Kadima victory and Israel’s election than to the summit itself. So trouble for our neighbouring region is yet to come.