A preliminary report on a development vision for the Arab Legue will be presented to member states in a September meeting, said Nabil al-Arabi, the Secretary-General of the League. Arabi said his recent visits with the leaders of Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Syria included a discussion of his new vision and strong emphasis on the need to develop the role and performance of the League. Arabi added that he sensed great support from leaders of Arab countries. “It will not do for the Arab League to stand by during this time in the Arab world and let other organizations take the lead; our role must become more active," Arabi said. He did not disclose his exact plans, but they will likely include an attempt to strengthen the League's Charter and increase the powers of the Secretary-General – a strategic move designed to tackle the problems of the Arab world with enhanced executive authority. The wave of reform and revolution across the Arab world, the fall of repressive regimes in Egypt and Tunisia and the seemingly inevitable collapse of the Libyan, Yemeni and Syrian regimes underscore the importance of the Arab League's role in fostering democracies in Arab countries – a high standard of performance not expected from Arabi's predecessor, Amr Moussa.
