Ammon News - AMMONNEWS - The Arab League congratulated Jordan and Egypt on Thursday for signing the Inter-Arab Trade in Services Liberalization Agreement and wished other Arab countries to follow suit in the near future.

The difficult conditions facing the Arab countries drive us to adhere to a major economic project in the region, which is economic integration, and it is high time for action and implementation, said an Arab League statement.

The bloc highlighted the need to enhance joint Arab action in the economic and social fields, especially in light of the successive crises that have hit the Arab region since 2011, whose negative impacts and grave ramifications extend beyond borders.

Speaking to the Economic and Social Council at the ministerial level today in Riyadh, the Secretary-General of the Arab League, Ahmed Aboul Gheit, said these crises exacerbate the difficult economic situation in a number of Arab countries, especially with regard to the high cost of protecting the borders, safeguarding internal security from the dangers of terrorism, or tackling huge refugee influxes beyond the capacity of host countries.

He noted the issues of water, energy, environment and food production are interrelated and integrated, all of which need future-driven planning, which spur foreseeing risks that directly impact the quality of the Arab citizen's life and the inter-Arab economic security.