Dr. Surakiart attended the Arab League Ministerial Council as Special Guest of the Arab League Secretary-General in Cairo, Egypt, on 6-7 September 2006 where he delivered a speech at the opening session as the ASEAN Candidate for the post of United Nations Secretary-General.

In his message, Dr. Surakiart elaborated on the common challenges confronting the Arab world and Southeast Asia, particularly in the areas of peace, security, development, and poverty eradication. He stressed the potentials of the Arab League in taking a lead in promoting South-South partnership. He elaborated his ideas on the role of the Arab League in global affairs and its partnership with the United Nations. He envisaged the Arab League as an important building block for an effective multilateralism system.

AS UNSG Candidate and the only candidate to be endorsed by a regional grouping, he highlighted the significance of his visits to all regions over the past year and a half to listen to, talk to and understand the concerns and situations of various regional groupings. His so called “learning tour” has increased his understanding of member nations’ concerns and priorities which is crucial for the next UNSG in leading the UN with the trust and confidence of all members.

In Cairo, Dr. Surakiart called on H.E. the Prime Minister with whom he discussed the strengthening of bilateral cooperation and regional developments. He also took the opportunity to hold numerous bilateral discussions with fellow Arab Ministers. The discussions focused heavily on how to promote South-South cooperation, including through enhanced sharing of best practices, the role of the United Nations, the UN reform process, and the UNSG selection process.