Iraq’s Arab Summit in jeopardy over Khor Abdullah fallout

Shafaq News/ Iraq’s upcoming Arab League summit, scheduled for Saturday in Baghdad, may face significant setbacks following regional tensions over the Khor Abdullah waterway dispute, a senior Iraqi lawmaker warned on Sunday.

Mokhtar al-Mousawi, a member of parliament’s Foreign Relations Committee, told Shafaq News that the renewed controversy over the maritime boundary with Kuwait could lead to high-level Arab boycotts.

“The recent uproar over Khor Abdullah has created a serious obstacle for the Baghdad summit,” al-Mousawi said. “Following the Gulf Cooperation Council's statement, there is a real possibility that Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE may skip the meeting.”

He added that Qatar may align with those countries, and if Doha stays away, “Syria will likely follow, which would deepen the diplomatic rift and cast a shadow over the summit’s success.”

The warning follows public criticism from Iraq’s Parliamentary Transportation Committee, which last week rejected any discussion with Kuwait at the summit that involves compromising Iraq’s position on Khor Abdullah.

The dispute centers on a ruling by Iraq’s Federal Supreme Court, which in September 2023 annulled Law No. 42 (2013)—the legislation that ratified the bilateral agreement between Iraq and Kuwait over navigation in Khor Abdullah. The court’s decision was met with strong opposition from GCC states, which view the 2013 agreement as binding.

In response, President Abdul Latif Rashid and Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani filed separate appeals with the court on April 15, requesting a reversal of the annulment and reaffirming Iraq’s commitment to the treaty.

The court postponed final ruling again on April 30, leaving the issue unresolved just days before the summit.

The Arab League summit, set for May 17 in Baghdad, is being positioned by Iraqi officials as a platform for regional dialogue on key files—including Palestine, economic integration, and anti-terror cooperation.

However, al-Mousawi cautioned that if key Gulf states withdraw, the summit’s credibility and effectiveness could be undermined. “These concerns are not speculative—they are real, and they demand urgent diplomatic engagement,” he said.

Government spokesperson Basim al-Awadi previously denied reports of any Arab state declining to attend, stating that all 22 member states had confirmed their participation.