Today, eyes are turned to the Iraqi capital, Baghdad, where the Arab Summit is being held, amidst an atmosphere filled with rumors and speculations regarding the level of official representation from some countries. The major surprise came before midnight on Friday-Saturday, with the announcement that King Abdullah II of Jordan had appointed his Prime Minister to represent his country, leading to the cancellation of a trilateral summit that was scheduled with Iraq and Egypt on the sidelines of the summit.

Atmosphere of Anticipation and Rumors

Until Friday evening, diplomatic circles in Baghdad were circulating rumors about the potential attendance of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman accompanied by the transitional Syrian President Ahmad al-Shara, especially after the arrival of Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaybani in Baghdad, which raised speculations that the visit was part of a security camouflage operation. However, this possibility diminished after the Jordanian king withdrew from attending.

Background of the Jordanian Withdrawal

Before the surprising late-night announcement, the political and diplomatic mood in Baghdad was divided between two teams: the first was satisfied with the level of Arab representation, confirming the participation of Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi and Qatari Emir Tamim bin Hamad. The other team expected "surprises" in the level of representation, relying on statements from Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia' al-Sudani.

Implications of the Jordanian Withdrawal

A trilateral Iraqi-Jordanian-Egyptian summit was scheduled to take place on the sidelines of the Arab summit, as part of a cooperation mechanism that began a few years ago. With King Abdullah II's withdrawal, hopes for holding this summit diminished, causing discontent among Iraqi circles that had relied on this meeting to advance economic and developmental partnerships.

Are There More Surprises?

The political circles in Baghdad are still anticipating more surprises, amid expectations that the level of representation at the Arab summit will be the main determinant of its success or failure. While the atmosphere calms down after the announcement of Jordan's withdrawal, the possibility of the attendance of other prominent Arab figures remains uncertain.

Conclusion

The Baghdad summit represents a test for Arab diplomacy amid internal and external challenges facing the region. With the absence of the Jordanian king and the dissipating speculations about the presence of high-profile figures from Saudi Arabia and Syria, the question remains about the ability of this summit to achieve its goals in enhancing Arab cooperation and achieving common interests.