ArabMAB

The ArabMAB Network was officially launched in Amman (Jordan) in 1997. The overall objective of ArabMAB is to promote co-operation between Arab National MAB Committees in order to strengthen the MAB programme in the Arab Region, including through the establishment of biosphere reserves and the implementation of common research and public awareness projects.

Members of ArabMAB constitute the ArabMAB Coordinating Council that meets every two years to elect a Bureau and to adopt a work programme for the biennium. The Council meetings are usually also the venue for expert meetings and technical workshops. The Amman meeting was immediately followed by holding the 1st ArabMAB Arab Coordinating Council meeting. The other ArabMAB ACC meetings were held in Agadir, Morocco, 1999, in Damascus, Syria, in 2001, and in Beyrouth, Lebanon in 2004. The 5th meeting was held at Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt, in June 2007. Presently, the ArabMAB Bureau has the following composition:

• Chairman: Dr. Samir Ghabbour (Egypt)
• Vice-Chairman and Past President: Dr. Ghassan Jaradi (Lebanon).
• Ms. Boshra Salem (Egypt) (Secretariat)
• Ms. Salwa Abdulhamid (Sudan)
• Ms. Hala Guidara (Tunis)
• Mr. Jamal Al-Abaychi (Iraq)