On the 23^rd October 2016, the Permanent Committee for Arab Affairs at the Council held a meeting at the Council Headquarters headed by Ambassador Dr. Mounir Zahran and attended by Ambassador Ezzat Saad, Ambassador Ihab Wahba, Coordinator of the Permanent Committee for Arab Affairs , as well as some members of the Committee.

Several important topics that could be treated in the coming period by the Committee were surveyed. In this regard, it was decided that the Committee would hold at least one meeting on a monthly basis. Additionally, the possibility of holding workshops was examined. These workshops would include both members and several specialists relevant to the topics of discussion. Furthermore, the possibility of forming sub-groups of action affiliated to the Arab Committee on a geographical or substantive basis was also discussed.

The Coordinator of the Committee presented a quick survey of both the actual crisis of the Arab Order (system) and of the situation in Syria, Iraq, Yemen and Libya, as well as the role Egypt can play to deal with these crises and find convenient solutions.

Ambassador Ezzat Saad, Executive Director of the Council, pointed out that the present Board of the Council has accorded great attention to the issue of reinvigorating the permanent committees of the Council. He added that every Rapporteur of a Group can encourage its members to prepare and present relevant papers, research and studies to be published, as long as they are of appropriate standards, among the other Council papers or on the Council website.

The President of the Council praised the activities of the Arab Committee and its constant response to all assignments given by the Council. He expressed his wish for a further increase of activities in the coming period, with more attendance of its members especially in the light of problems and challenges that confront the Arab World and their reflection on Egyptian policies and initiatives.