In continuation of the 1st Symposium of Arab Geographers held in Sana'a/Yemen in 1998 (cf. IGU Bulletin 49(2), 1999, pp.157-160) the community of Arab geographers organized a second meeting in Cairo/Egypt from November 21st -23rd ,2000, Held under the organizational leadership of Professor Dr.Abulezz, President of the Egyptian Geographers took place in the old and impressive premises of the Egyptian Geographical Society, located in the very centre of modern Cairo and not far from the Egyptian Museum. The building , erected in connection with the 11th International Geographical Congress in Cairo in 1924 with its extensive library and anthropological museum, gave a wonderful setting for this important event, in which 68 participants from 17 Arab countries took part. They very fact that more than 80 papers were submitted and also the number of participating geographers and country representations had increased considerably, marks a remarkable progress in comparison to the first event of this kind in Sana'a/Yemen two years ago.
In his Opening Address Professor Abulezz as chairman of the conference stressed that this meeting, just like its predecessor event in Sana'a in 1998, should be considered as another serious attempt to bring Arab geographers from Morocco and Mauritania in the West to Oman and Saudi Arabia in the East together academically and scientifically, and to strengthen the ties between all members of the Arab geographical community. It was therefore stressed again and again that participation in this symposium was based on a purely academic and strictly personal basis, the participants not representing governments or governmental institutions. The fact that the patronage of this meeting was under the aegis of the Egyptian Prime Minister gave special importance to this meeting. The presence of Professor Aly Elden Helal, Minister of Youth and Sports, as well as of Professor Mofed Shehab, Minister of High Education and Scientific Research, gave special importance to this event. Their Welcome Addresses also stressed the necessity of coordinated and joint research efforts of the Arab scientific community, especially in view of the increasing numbers of both ecological and socioeconomic problems and the deeply felt impacts of a shrinking globalizing world. It was also in this context that Eckart Ehlers, former Secertary-General of IGU and representing the International Geographical Union, stressed IGU's great interest to have a stronger representation of geographers and geographies of Arab world, but also of other parts of Africa, Asia and Latin America in order to tackle common scientific and practical problems of environmental changes and socio-economic development. In line with these general framework conditions, outlined by the speakers of the Opening Ceremony, the conference and the presentations of Arab geographers focused around 5 major fields of geographical interests and concerns.
These foci can be summarized as follows:
1. Aspects of environmental diversity in coastal, desert, mountain and urban environments. The aspect of 'diversity' was stressed explicitly as a reference to the 29th IGC in Seoul/Korea "Living with Diver sity".
2. Major aspects of similarities and dissimilarities of economic development in the Arab world, especially the interactions between the oil-producing countries and their neighbors.
3. Geopolitical issues and constellations in a regional setting.
4. Demographic aspects and developments, especially the problem of labors movements within the Arab world and their impacts on national economies.
5. Discussions about joint research and research strategies for the future.

 From an outside observer's perspective it is especially worth mentioning that a lot of discussions were devoted to aspects of concerted Arab efforts in coordinating geographical research in regard to sustainable development both from an ecological and an economical perspective . In this context, especially the final point of discussion, the setting of a research agenda for the future, include also discussions about the development and implementation of joint field projects in different Arab states and the development of common research agendas for specific regions and/or topics of the Arab world. In this context, Eckart Ehlers as IGU representative pointed again and again to the possibilities of integration and cooperation of Arab geographers in IGU's commissions and study groups, many of which are of special relevance and importance to the arid and semi-arid regions of North Africa and the Near and Middle East.
The overall structure of the 2nd Symposium of Arab Geographers was characterized by an impressive performance of academic and intellectual coherence and personal solidarity and friendship. This important social aspects was encouraged by social events (receptions and dinners) on the banks of the river Nile respectively on the river itself, as well as by local excursions at the end of the symposium. The most promising aspects and outcome of this meeting, however, should be seen in the fact that already now the preparations for a third follow-up symposium have got underway. It will be held in 2002, at a location still be finalized.
The fact that the General Assembly of the International Geographical Union decided in Seoul/Korea that the 31st International Geographical Congress in the year 2008 should be held in an Arab country, that is in Tunisia, was taken not only with great satisfaction but also as an encouragement to Arab geographers and geographies to continue on the road towards coordination and consolidation. Which started so successfully in 1998 in Sana'a/Yemen and which was continued impressively in this Cairo conference. From IGU's perspective, this decision should also be seen as an invitation and encouragement to all those Arab states, that are not members of IGU yet to join IGU as full members. The fact that so far only four Arab countries: Egypt, Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia. Are full members of IGU and only five colleagues from the Arab world function as full members of IGU commissions and study groups, is an indicator that there are great opportunities for Arab geographers within IGU in the future.