New chief elected to head the Arab League

Arab foreign ministers meeting in Cairo have picked a new secretary general to lead the Arab League during a period of unprecedented turmoil.

Egypt’s Amr Moussa, who has led the 22-nation body is stepping down after ten years at the helm.

The new Arab League chief is fellow Egyptian, Nabil al-Arabi who is currently Egypt’s foreign minister and a respected veteran diplomat.

Al-Arabi’s election came as a surprise after last minute diplomacy left only one candidate in the race.

Euronews’ Cairo Correspondent said,“A lot of responsibilities are waiting for the new chief of the Arab League especially with the on-going crisis facing the whole region, which raises many questions about the role of the League and its effectiveness in the coming period.”

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