Will economy succeed where has politics failed? This is the question that challenges the first Arab Economic and Social Development Summit slated for January 2009 in Kuwait.The summit, to be attended by economy and finance ministers, is expected to discuss health, trade, tourism, transport and investment issues related to the daily lives of 330 million Arabs.

Given the current international world food crisis, its repercussions in the Arab world is expected to take priority on the summit's agenda. It is, however, sincerely hoped that the summit would be different from regular and exceptional meetings of the Arab League summits whose recommendations often remain mere ink on paper. Arab people are therefore yearning for the day when they see tangible results gained from such meetings. But, the hopes of the people have always lost out on the official level.Arab economic integration is a dream harboured for many years without actually being fulfiled on the ground. Cooperation plans do exist among the Arabs in the form of mutual relations but economic unity in the broader sense of the word, where each country offers the assistance it can afford to the entire nation, is completely missing.The Arabs therefore are anticipating a different approach from the forthcoming Economic and Social Summit. The oil-rich countries in particular are expected to invest a portion of the surplus grossed lately from high oil prices to their neighbours in order to relieve the suffering of 72 million Arabs living under the poverty line.