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The Arab League,formally,the League of Arab States is a regional organization of Arab world in and around North Africa,the Horn of Africa,and Southwest Asia.It was formed in Cairo on 22 March 1945 with six members:Kingdom of Egypt,Kingdom of Iraq,Transjordan(renamed Jordan in 1949),Lebanon,Saudi Arabia and Syria.Yemen joined as a member on 5 May 1945.Currently,the League has 22 members,although Syria‘s participation has been suspended since November 2011,as a consequence of government repression during the ongoing uprising and civil war.
The League‘s main goal is to“draw closer the relations between members and co-ordinate collaboration between them,to safeguard their independence and sovereignty,and to consider in a general way the affairs and interests of the Arab world”.
Through institutions such as the Arab League Educational,Cultural and Scientific Organization(ALECSO)and the Economic and Social Council of the Arab League‘s Council of Arab Economic Unity(CAEU),the Arab League facilitates political,economic,cultural,scientific and social programs designed to promote the interests of the Arab world.It has served as a forum for the members to coordinate their policy positions,to deliberate on matters of common concern,to settle some Arab disputes and to limit conflicts such as the 1958 Lebanon crisis.The League has served as a platform for the drafting and conclusion of many landmark documents promoting economic integration.One example is the Joint Arab Economic Action Charter ,which outlines the principles for economic activities in the region.
Each member state has only one vote in the League Council ,while decisions are binding only for those members that have voted for them.The aims of the league in 1945 were to strengthen and coordinate the political,cultural,economic,and social programs of its members,and to mediate disputes among them or between them and third parties.Furthermore,the signing of an agreement on Joint Defense and Economic Cooperation on 13 April 1950 committed the signatories to coordination of military defense measures.In the early 1970s,the Economic Council of the League of Arab States put forward a proposal to create the Joint Arab Chambers of Commerce across the European states.This led,under the decree of the League of Arab States no.K1175/D52/G,to the decision by the Arab governments to set up the Arab British Chamber of Commerce which was mandated to:“promote,encourage and facilitate bilateral trade”between the Arab world and its major trading partner,the United Kingdom.
The Arab League has similarly played a role in shaping school curricula,advancing the role of women in the Arab societies,promoting child welfare,encouraging youth and sports programs,preserving Arab cultural heritage,and fostering cultural exchanges between the member states.
Starting with only six members in 1945,the Arab League today occupies an area spanning around 14 million km 2 and counts 22 members,and4 observer states.As of 2015,there are a total of 22 members,including 3 of the largest African countries(Sudan,Algeria and Libya),and the largest country in the Middle East(Saudi Arabia).
There has been a continual increase in membership during the second half of the 20th century,with an additional 15 Arab states being admitted.
The area of members of the Arab League covers over 13 000 000 km 2 and straddles two continents:Africa and Asia.The area consists of large arid deserts,namely the Sahara.Nevertheless,it also contains several very fertile lands,such as the Nile Valley,the Jubba and Shebelle valley of Somalia,the High Atlas Mountains,and the Fertile Crescent which stretches over Mesopotamia and the Levant.The area comprises deep forests in southern Arabia,as well as parts of the world‘s longest river,the Nile.
The Arab League is a political organization which tries to help integrate its members economically,and solve conflicts involving members without asking for foreign assistance.It possesses elements of a member representative parliament while foreign affairs are often dealt with under UN supervision.
The Charter of the Arab League endorsed the principle of an Arab homeland while respecting the sovereignty of the individual member.The internal regulations of the Council of the League and the committees were agreed in October 1951.Those of the Secretariat-General were agreed in May 1953.
At the Cairo Summit of 1964,the Arab League initiated the creation of an organization representing the Palestinian people.The first Palestinian National Council convened in East Jerusalem on 29 May 1964.The Palestinian Liberation Organization was founded during this meeting on 2 June 1964.Palestine was shortly admitted in to the Arab League,represented by the PLO.Today,State of Palestine is a full member of the Arab League.
At the Beirut Summit on 28 March 2002,the league adopted the Arab Peace Initiative,a Saudi-inspired peace plan for the Arab-Israeli conflict.The initiative offered full normalization of the relations with Israel.In exchange,Israel was required to withdraw from all occupied territories,including the Golan Heights,to recognize Palestinian independence in the West Bank and Gaza Strip,with East Jerusalem as its capital,as well as a“just solution”for the Palestinian refugees.The Peace Initiative was again endorsed at 2007 in the Riyadh Summit.
The“Greater Arab Free Trade Area”(GAFTA)is a pan-Arab free trade zone that came into existence in 1997.It was founded by 14 countries:Bahrain,Egypt,Iraq,Kuwait,Lebanon,Libya,Morocco,Oman,Qatar,Saudi Arabia,Sudan,Syria,Tunisia,and the United Arab Emirates.The formation of GAFTA followed the adoption of the“Agreement to Facilitate and Develop Trade Among Arab Countries”(1981)by the Arab League‘s Economic and Social Council(ESC)and the approval by seventeen Arab League members at a summit in Amman,Jordan of the“Greater Arab Free Trade Area Agreement”(1997).In 2009,Algeria joined GAFTA as the eighteenth member.GAFTA is supervised and run by the ESC.
The members participate in 96%of the total internal Arab trade,and95%with the rest of the world by applying the following conditions:
1.Instruct the inter-customs fees.
To reduce the Customs on Arab products by 10%annually,the 14 Arab Countries or regions reported their custom tariff programs to the Security Council of the Arab League to coordinate them.Syria was excepted and uses the Brussels tariffs system.
2.Applying the locality of the Arab products.
All members have shared their standards and specifications to help their products move smoothly from one country to another.
The League has also created a project to apply the Arab Agriculture Pact:
Which is to share the standards of the agricultural sector and inject several restrictions and specifications.
The Arab League granted exceptions,which allowed for a customs rate for certain goods to six members for several goods,however requests for additional exceptions were rejected by Morocco,Lebanon and Jordan.
3.Private sectors.
The League created a database and a service to inform and promote the private sector‘s benefits.
4.Communication.
The Economic and Social Council in its sixty-fifth meeting agreed on pointing a base for communication to ease communication between the members,and to work on easing interaction between the Private and public sectors to further apply the Greater Arab Free Trade Area.
5.Customs Duties.
In the sixty-seventh meeting the Economic and Social Council agreed that a 40%decrease on customs on goods in the past 4 years of the GAFTA would continue and following the decisions at the Amman summit,the members will make efforts to eliminate all customs duties on local goods.
Economic Resources
The Arab League is rich in resources,with enormous oil and natural gas resources in certain members.Another industry that is growing steadily in the Arab League is telecommunications.Within less than a decade,local companies such as Orascom and Etisalat have managed to compete internationally.
Economic achievements initiated by the League amongst members have been less impressive than those achieved by smaller Arab organizations such as the Gulf Cooperation Council(GCC).Among them is the Arab Gas Pipeline,that will transport Egyptian and Iraqi gas to Jordan,Syria,Lebanon,and Turkey.As of 2013,a significant difference in economic conditions exist between the developed oil states ofAlgeria,Qatar,Kuwait and the UAE,and developing countries like Comoros,Djibouti,Mauritania,Somalia,Sudan and Yemen.
The Arab League also has great fertile lands in South ofthe Sudan,usually referred to as the food basket of the Arab World,the region‘s instability has not affected its tourism industry,that is considered the fastest growing industry in the region,with Egypt,UAE,Lebanon,Tunisia and Jordan Leading the way.Another industry that is growing steadily in the Arab League is telecommunications.
Economic Community of West African States ( ECOWAS )
The Economic Community of West African States is a regional group of fifteen West African countries.Founded on 28 May 1975,with the signing of the Treaty of Lagos,its mission is to promote economic integration across the region.
Considered one of the pillars of the African Economic Community,the organization was founded in order to achieve“collective self-sufficiency”for its members by creating a single large trading bloc through an economic and trading union.It also serves as a peacekeeping force in the region.The organization operates officially in three co-equal languages-French,English,and Portuguese.
The ECOWAS consists of two institutions to implement policies—the ECOWAS Commission and the ECOWAS Bank for Investment and Development,formerly known as the Fund for Cooperation until it was renamed in 2001.
The West African Economic and Monetary Union is acustoms union and currency union between the members of ECOWAS.It was established to promote economic integration among countries that share a common currency.
Its objectives include the following:
·Greater economic competitiveness,through open markets,in addition to the rationalization and harmonization of the legal environment
·The convergence of macro-economic policies and indicators
·The creation of a common market
·The coordination of sectoral policies
·The harmonization of fiscal policies
Among its achievements,the Union has successfully implemented macro-economic convergence criteria and an effective surveillance mechanism.It has adopted a customs union and common external tariff and has combined indirect taxation regulations,in addition to initiating regional structural and sectoral policies.A September 2002 IMF survey cited the Union as“the furthest along the path toward integration”of all the regional groupings in Africa.
ECOWAS and the Union have developed a common plan of action on trade liberalization and macroeconomic policy convergence.The organizations have also agreed on common rules of origin to enhance trade,and ECOWAS has agreed to adopt the Union‘s customs declaration forms and compensation mechanisms.
ECOWAS Bank for Investment and Development Headquarters in Lome.
West African Monetary Zone
Formed in 2000,the West African Monetary Zone(WAMZ)is a group of six countries within ECOWAS that plan to introduce a common currency,the Eco.The six member states of WAMZ are Gambia,Ghana,Guinea,Nigeria and Sierra Leone who founded the organization together in 2000 and Liberia who joined on 16 February 2010.Apart from Guinea,which is Francophone,they are all English speaking countries.Along with Mauritania,Guinea opted out of franc currency shared by all other former French colonies in West and Central Africa.
The WAMZ attempts to establish a strong stable currency to rival franc,whose exchange rate is tied to that of the Euro and is guaranteed by the French Treasury.The eventual goal is for the franc and Eco to merge,giving all ofWest and Central Africa a single,stable currency.The launch of the new currency is being developed by the West African Monetary Institute based in Accra,Ghana.
Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa
The Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa(COMESA)is a free trade area with twenty member states stretching from Libya to Swaziland.COMESA was formed in December 1994,replacing a Preferential Trade Area which had existed since 1981.Nine of the member states formed a free trade area in 2000(Djibouti,Egypt,Kenya,Madagascar,Malawi,Mauritius,Sudan,Zambia and Zimbabwe),with Rwanda and Burundi joining the FTA in 2004, the Comoros and Libya in 2006,and Seychelles in 2009.
COMESA is one of the pillars of the African Economic Community.
In 2008,COMESA agreed to an expanded free-trade zone including members of two other African trade blocs,the East African Community(EAC)and the Southern Africa Development Community(SADC).COMESA is also considering a common visa scheme to boost tourism.
forum n.论坛，讨论会
pledge v.保证，许诺
primarily adv.首先，主要地，根本上
supranational adj.超国家的，超民族的
scrutinize v.细阅，作详细检查
ancillary adj.辅助的，副的，从属的
tariff n.关税表，收费表
legislation n.立法，法律
defense n.防卫，防护
inhabitant n.居民，居住者
antitrust adj.反垄断的
ratification n.批准，承认，认可
copious adj.丰富的，很多的，多产的
launch n.发射，发行，投放市场
sustainable adj.可以忍受的，足可支撑的
budgetary adj.预算的
rescue n.营救，援救，解救
provisionally adv.临时地，暂时地
bilateral adj.双边的，有两边的
referendum n.公民投票权，外交官请示书
recession n.衰退，不景气，后退
accelerate v.加速，促进，增加
counterpart n.副本，配对物
entity n.实体，存在，本质
collaborate v.合作
utilization n.使用，利用
compromise v.妥协，让步
diplomacy n.外交，外交手腕，交际手段
merit n.优点，价值，功绩
integrate v.使……完整，使……成整体
oppose v.反对，对抗，抗争
criterion n.（批评判断的）标准，准则，规范，准据
prolong v.延长，拖延
forefront n.最前线，最前部，最活动的中心
transparency n.透明，透明度
scheme n.计划，组合，体制
copious adj.丰富的，很多的，多产的
commerce n.贸易，商业，商务
ambitious adj.野心勃勃的，有雄心的
inclusion n.包含，内含物
nominal adj.名义上的
trillion n.（数） 万亿
equivalent adj.等价的，相等的，同意义的
reform n.改革
rival v.与……竞争
notable adj.值得注意的，显著的，著名的
competitive adj.竞争的，比赛的，求胜心切的
oriented adj.导向的，定向的，以……为方向的
accumulation n.积聚，累积，堆积物
estate n.房地产
amongst prep.在……之中，在……当中（等于among）
essential adj.基本的，必要的，本质的，精华的
literacy n.读写能力
macroeconomic adj.宏观经济的，总体经济的
deficit n.（财政）赤字，亏损
neoliberal n.新自由主义，新自由主义者
regime n.政权，政体，社会制度，管理体制
openness n.公开，宽阔，率真
consumption n.消费，消耗
stimulus n.刺激，激励，刺激物
facilitate v.促进，帮助，使容易
proportion n.比例，占比，部分
moot v.提出……供讨论
prominent adj.突出的，显著的，杰出的，卓越的
procurement n.采购，获得，取得
index n.指标，指数
crucial adj.重要的，决定性的
cumulative adj.累积的
assertive adj.肯定的，独断的
infrastructure n.基础设施，公共建设，下部构造
guarantee n.保证，担保，保证人，保证书，
portfolio n.公文包，文件夹
impartial adj.公平的，公正的
strategic adj.战略上的，战略的
avoidance n.逃避，废止，职位空缺
frustrate v.挫败，阻挠 v. 失败，受挫
editorial adj.编辑的，社论的
commensurate adj.相称的，同量的，同样大小的
citing n.引用，引证，举例
mainstream n.主流
advocate v.提倡，主张，拥护
boost v.促进，增加，支援
suspend v.延缓，推迟
safeguard v.保护，护卫
deliberate v.仔细考虑，商议
dispute n.辩论，争吵
mediate v.调停，传达 v. 调解
signatory n.签约国，签名人
decree n.法令，判决
welfare n.福利，幸福
fertile adj.富饶的，肥沃的
parliament n.议会，国会
territory n.领土，领域
tariff n.关税
inject v.注入，注射
achieve v.取得，获得
sufficiency n.足量，充足，自满
implement v.实施，执行，实现
eliminate v.消除，排除
criteria n.标准，条件（criterion的复数）
compensation n.补偿，报酬，赔偿金
insofar as在……的范围内，到……程度
intend to打算做……，想要……
break up 打碎，破碎，结束，解散
bound to 一定会，束缚于
acronym for缩写
prior to在……之前，居先
in per capita income按人均收入计算
impact on影响，对……冲击，碰撞
in contrast与此相反，比较起来
affiliate with交往；附属机构
participate in 参与、分享、参加
in exchange(for sth。）作为交换
adoption of采用
agree on 同意；达成共识
refer to参考，涉及
opt out of 决定不参加……，决定（从……）退出
European Economic Community:欧洲经济共同体，是欧洲共同体中最重要的组成部分，人们常常把它和欧洲共同体混淆。1957年3月25日，法国、意大利、联邦德国、荷兰、比利时、卢森堡六国外长在罗马签订了建立欧洲经济共同体与欧洲原子能共同体的两个条约，即《罗马条约》，于1958年1月1日生效。1965年4月8日,6国签订了《布鲁塞尔条约》，决定将欧洲煤钢共同体、欧洲原子能共同体和欧洲经济共同体统一起来，统称欧洲共同体。欧洲经济共同体与欧洲煤钢共同体、欧洲原子能共同体共同组成欧洲共同体。欧共体是西欧一些主要资本主义国家由政府出面组成的一个经济和政治集团，本质上是一种国家垄断资本主义的国际联盟。总部设在布鲁塞尔。
European Exchange Rate Mechanism:欧洲汇率机制,1979年创立，旨在限制欧盟成员国货币的汇率波动。 ERM为成员国货币的汇率设定固定的中心汇率，允许汇率在中心汇率上下一定的幅度内波动。据规定，欧盟新成员国在加入欧元区之前，应将其货币纳入允许汇率在中心汇率上下15%的区间内波动的ERM-2体系，为时两年。
Uruguay Round:乌拉圭回合谈判,1986年9月在乌拉圭的埃斯特角城举行了关贸总协定部长级会议，决定进行一场旨在全面改革多边贸易体制的新一轮谈判，故命名为“乌拉圭回合谈判”。这是迄今为止最大的一次贸易谈判，历时7年半，于1994年4月在摩洛哥的马拉喀什结束。谈判几乎涉及所有贸易，从牙刷到游艇，从银行到电信，从野生水稻基因到艾滋病治疗。参加方从最初的103个，增至谈判结束时的125个。
Boao Forum:博鳌亚洲论坛（缩写:BFA），由25个亚洲国家和澳大利亚发起，于2001年2月27日在海南省琼海市万泉河入海口的博鳌镇召开大会，正式宣布成立。论坛为非官方、非营利性、定期、定址的国际组织，为政府、企业及专家学者等提供一个共商经济、社会、环境及其他相关问题的高层对话平台，海南博鳌为论坛总部的永久所在地。
The Maastricht Treaty:马斯特里赫特条约,1991年12月9~10日，第46届欧共体首脑会议在荷兰的马斯特里赫特（Maastricht）举行。经过两天辩论，代表们通过并草签了《欧洲经济与货币联盟条约》和《政治联盟条约》，统称《欧洲联盟条约》（Treaty of Maastricht）即《马斯特里赫特条约》。1992年2月7日欧共体12国外长和财政部长在荷兰小镇马斯特里赫特正式签署了该条约，条约也正式生效。这一条约是对《罗马条约》（Treaty of Rome）的修订，它为欧共体建立政治联盟和经济与货币联盟确立了目标与步骤，是欧洲联盟成立的基础。参与签订该条约的为原欧共体的12个国家，即：比利时、丹麦、德意志联邦共和国、希腊、西班牙、法兰西共和国、爱尔兰、意大利、卢森堡、荷兰、葡萄牙和大不列颠及北爱尔兰联合王国。芬兰、奥地利和瑞典于1995年1月1日加入。
Pacific Islands Forum:太平洋岛国论坛，太平洋岛国论坛，原名“南太平洋论坛”,1971年8月5日在新西兰首都惠灵顿成立,2000年10月，“南太平洋论坛”正式改称为“太平洋岛国论坛”。2012年8月27~31日第43届太平洋岛国论坛领导人系列会议在库克群岛举行。2018年9月4日, 日媒称中国正在加强对南太平洋岛国的影响力。一些国家已经利用中国的融资推进港口、道路建设。各国将在9月4日于瑙鲁开幕的太平洋岛国论坛峰会上围绕与中国打交道的方式展开对话。
Pacific Economic Cooperation Council:太平洋经济合作会议，太平洋经济合作会议（Pacific Economic Cooperation Conference,PECC），旨在研究和促进太平洋地区经济合作，以增强太平洋沿岸各国之间的经济联系。每18个月举行一次大会，由不代表政府身份的高级政府官员、企业家和学者三方代表参加。会议设常务委员会，下设若干组。内容涉及渔业合作和发展，农业政策，太平洋经济展望，矿产及能源，贸易政策，运输通讯和旅游，科技与技术，人力资源等等。成员包括澳大利亚、文莱、加拿大、中国、中国台北、印尼、日本、南朝鲜、马来西亚、新西兰、菲律宾、新加坡、太平洋岛群国家等。中国1986年加入，在北京设有中国太平洋经济合作委员会。太平洋经济合作会议在自由和开放经济交流的基础上，本着保持伙伴关系、公平和互相尊重的精神，加强经济合作，以充分发挥太平洋盆地的潜力。
1.What are the aims and purposes of ASEAN?
2.What is APEC?When did the first APEC Economic Leaders‘Meeting occur?
3.Why were the costs of business transactions across the region reduced by 6%between 2002 and 2006?
4.What are the five major BRICS members?
5.Talk about the development of BRICS Forum.
6.How does the Asian Development Bank establish?What are its aims?
7.Talk about objectives and activities of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank.