▁regions ▁such ▁as ▁Ira q ▁have ▁not ▁been ▁announced ▁or ▁spoken ▁of , ▁since ▁the ▁Arab ▁League ' s ▁official ▁St ance ▁den oun ces ▁any ▁form ▁of ▁Foreign ▁troops ▁in ▁Ira q , ▁to ▁maintain ▁stability . ▁ ▁E rit rea ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 3 , ▁E rit rea ▁became ▁the ▁first ▁Ob server ▁in ▁the ▁Pan - A rab ▁Body , ▁opening ▁the ▁door ▁for ▁it ▁to ▁become ▁a ▁prospect ▁member ▁in ▁the ▁League , ▁while ▁the ▁Current ▁E rit re an ▁President ▁has ▁denied ▁any ▁plans ▁for ▁joining ▁the ▁League ▁in ▁the ▁Near ▁Future , ▁due ▁to ▁its ▁lack ▁of ▁efficiency . ▁ ▁A SE AN ▁▁ ▁By ▁January ▁ 2 0 0 8 ▁the ▁AL ▁and ▁A SE AN ▁had ▁no ▁significant ▁relations , ▁but ▁the ▁Arab ▁League ' s ▁Econom ic ▁Council ▁decided ▁to ▁Exp and ▁economic ▁co operation ▁with ▁Regional ▁blocks , ▁to ▁benefit ▁from ▁their ▁Econom ic ▁experience ▁and ▁development , ▁and ▁started ▁contact ing ▁the ▁Association ▁of ▁South ▁East ▁Asian ▁Nations ▁( ASE AN ), ▁to ▁build ▁better ▁relations ▁and ▁to ▁increase ▁invest ments ▁from ▁this ▁region , ▁and ▁to ▁learn ▁from ▁their ▁Econom ic ▁Ach iev ements ▁to ▁be ▁applied ▁in ▁the ▁League . ▁which ▁will ▁help ▁the ▁Arab ▁States ▁to ▁increase ▁inner ▁invest ments ▁and ▁inner ▁imports ▁and ▁exports , ▁the ▁Head ▁of ▁the ▁De leg ation , ▁also ▁secretary ▁General ▁of ▁the ▁Arab ▁Council ▁for ▁Econom ic ▁Development ▁( AC ED ), ▁Dr . ▁Ah med ▁J we ily ▁to