UAE participates in preparatory forum for ‘Arab Economic and Social Development Summit’.

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The UAE participated in the opening session of the "Arab Civil Society and Youth Forum," which began in Cairo today.

The forum is part of the preparations for the "4th Arab Economic and Social Development Summit," which will be held in Beirut next month.

The country was represented by Juma Mubarak Al Junaibi, UAE Ambassador to Egypt and Permanent Representative to the Arab League.

In his speech during the forum’s opening session, Ahmed Aboul Gheit, Secretary-General of the Arab League, highlighted the key role of civil society and the youth in Arab communities in strengthening the development and civilization of the Arab world.

He said that the development of many Arab countries has helped them achieve tangible advancement over recent decades and face many developmental challenges in vital areas, such as education, health, and combatting poverty. However, there are still many security, economic and social challenges that affect the livelihoods of Arab citizen and the peace and stability of their countries, which are all connected to the efforts to elevate the Arab people, he added.

Aboul Gheit further added that many developments and influences have negatively affected Arab development, such as displacement, poverty and unemployment, especially among the youth, as well as a rise in the number of people with disability, the deteriorating social, health and economic conditions of countries suffering from armed conflicts, and Israel’s ongoing violations against the Palestinian people.

"The region urgently requires joint development work, and the main challenge facing us today is to promote the philosophy of these summits and their working methodology," he said in conclusion.