Launch of the 118th Ministerial Session of the Arab Economic and Social Council with Kuwaiti participation

Cairo, August 30 (KUNA) -- The preparatory meetings for the 118th ministerial session of the Arab League’s Economic and Social Council kicked off today, Sunday, with the participation of Kuwait to discuss a number of social, developmental, and Arab cooperation issues.

In his opening address, Nayef Al-Anzi, Chairman of the Social Committee and representative of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, as well as Deputy Minister of Finance for International Relations, stated that social development constitutes a fundamental pillar for achieving comprehensive and sustainable development. He emphasized that investing in human capital is the most crucial investment for building societies and enhancing their capacity to confront challenges.

Al-Anzi noted that Saudi Arabia has witnessed extensive developmental and social momentum in recent years under the framework of “Vision 2030,” which has translated into improved quality of life, strengthened social protection, and increased participation of various societal segments in development.

He added that Iraq hosted the 34th Arab Summit and the 5th Arab Development Summit in 2025, from which a number of important decisions were issued in the social field, contributing to the advancement of joint Arab action.

Al-Anzi affirmed that the current session of the Social Committee aims to propel joint Arab action in social fields, expressing hope that the meetings would yield results that enhance Arab cooperation and support the aspirations of Arab peoples for a more prosperous and stable future.

For her part, Inas Al-Farajani, Consul General and Supervisor of the Social Affairs Sector at the Arab League, stated in her speech that the committee is discussing Arab international cooperation, as well as Arab-Chinese cooperation in the fields of health, the Arab-Chinese Friendship Conference, the Arab-Chinese Cities Forum, and the 12th session of the Conference on Dialogue between Arab and Chinese Civilizations.

Al-Farajani pointed out that the meeting would also examine Arab-Indian cooperation in the fields of education and scientific research, the Arab-Indian Cultural Festival, and files related to Arab-European and Arab-Russian cooperation. Additionally, it will address an Arab strategy to support labor inspection bodies and qualify labor markets during the recovery and reconstruction phase in Syria.

She outlined two proposals submitted by Saudi Arabia: the first concerns the Arab Initiative to develop the Arab Skills Framework, and the second involves preparing an Arab guideline framework to enhance the economic empowerment of beneficiaries of social protection programs.

Al-Farajani noted that the committee’s agenda also includes a proposal submitted by the State of Palestine regarding the provision of urgent cash assistance and support tools for displaced persons with disabilities in the governorates of Tulkarm and Jenin.

She expressed hope for the issuance of appropriate recommendations on the discussed topics, paving the way for their submission to the Senior Officials Meeting and subsequently to the ministerial session of the Economic and Social Council for approval.

The work of the Social Committee comes within the framework of preparations for the 118th ordinary session of the Arab Economic and Social Council and the exploration of ways to enhance joint Arab action in social and developmental fields, while supporting member states’ efforts to confront common challenges.

Anwar Al-Munaawer, Director of the Arab and Gulf Economic Cooperation Department at the Ministry of Finance, represents Kuwait at the meeting. (End) M.M. / F.L.A.