Dr Anwar Gargash, diplomatic adviser to the UAE President, and Egyptian diplomat Nabil Fahmy. Photo: Al IttihadDr Anwar Gargash, diplomatic adviser to the UAE President, and Egyptian diplomat Nabil Fahmy. Photo: Al IttihadVeteran diplomat called for more 'proactive approach' to respond to regional developments The NationalJune 23, 2026Nabil Fahmy, a former Egyptian foreign minister, has been appointed the Arab League's new Secretary General, the 22-member body said. After a unanimous vote in Amman on Monday, Mr Fahmy succeeds Ahmad Aboul Gheit, who is also a former Egyptian foreign minister.Mr Fahmy takes on the role at a time of growing regional insecurity and mounting distrust over the Arab League's ability to support its member states. The leaders of Gulf states targeted by barrages of Iranian missiles and drones during the regional war sparked by Israeli and US strikes were especially critical of the pan-Arab body's passive response to the attacks.Most notably, Dr Anwar Gargash, diplomatic adviser to UAE President Sheikh Mohamed, said in April that the UAE had "legitimate questions regarding the role and position of the Arab League".In apparent recognition of those frustrations, Mr Fahmy made strong statements about the Arab League's need to play a stronger role in regional dynamics. In a meeting with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El Sisi, Mr Fahmy stressed the requirement for a "more proactive Arab approach based on strategic foresight, early preparedness, risk prevention and stronger co-operation among Arab states" to better respond to regional developments. Under the Arab League Charter, ​the ⁠secretary general is appointed ‌by at least a two-thirds majority of member states. ​While the text does not stipulate a specific nationality for the post's occupant, it has traditionally been held by Egyptians.The only non-Egyptian to hold the post was Tunisian Chedli Klibi, who filled the position from 1979 to 1990, a time when Egypt was ostracised by fellow Arab states for making peace with Israel.The Arab League, founded in 1945, co-ordinates political, economic and cultural policies across the region. But it has come to be seen more as a forum for debate rather than a driver of regional policy like the EU.Updated: June 23, 2026, 7:42 AM