HE the Qatar Prime Minister Attends Opening of 16th Towns Organization Conference

Doha , May 14 (QNA) - Under the patronage of HH the Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, HE the Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jabor Al Thani , inaugurated Tuesday the works of the 16th conference of the Arab Towns Organization (ATO). The event is organized by the Ministry of Municipality and Urban Planning, in cooperation with the Arab Towns Organization. A number of their excellencies ministers and sheikhs attended the opening ceremony. HE the Prime Minister Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jabor Al Thani said in his opening speech said that the Arab Towns Organization was playing an important role that will benefit the Arab world in the long-term and provide Arab countries with a suitable environment for production and creativity. One of the main goals of the organization is to encourage decentralization and raise the quality of local government, HE the Prime Minister and Foreign Minister noted . HE Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jabor Al Thani conveyed the State of Qatar's delight for hosting the conference and also expressed his delight at the massive turnout of professionals in the field of local government in the Arab World. The main topics to be discussed in the conference will be how best to develop economies and eliminate poverty, HE the Prime Minister said adding that the development of cities has become an influential part of achieving sustainable development. His Excellency the Prime Minister and Foreign Minister further said that the large turnout of experts and specialists in the field of developing cities reflects an intent by Arab countries to achieve sustainable development particularly as they get ready to contribute to drafting the post-2015 UN Development Agenda. HE the Prime Minister added that developing cities has become part of the wider efforts for global development. His Excellency stressed that this year's conference will focus on the issue of social justice and how it can be achieved through local governance, rather than focusing on development from a purely economic point of view. HE the Prime Minister stressed that this year's conference presented a valuable opportunity for Arab Municipal leaders to meet and exchange expertise in the field of local government. HE Sheikh Hamad Bin Jassim Bin Jabor Al Thani ncy said that sustainable development was impossible with cities that were safe from a security, environmental, political as well as a social point of view. After the speech, HE the Prime Minister and Foreign Minister and HE Minister of Municipality and Urban Planning Sheikh Abdul Rahman bin Khalifa Al Thani honored the winners. For his part, Secretary-General of the Arab Towns Organization (ATO) Yousef Al-Adasani praised the progress made in recent years in the field of developing cities, particularly the partnerships made with the private sector, non-government organizations to achieve that. He noted that the concept achieving sustainable development through local governance was in compliance with the plans made by the United Nations. The Arab Towns Organization focusses on training workers in municipalities to raise their efficiency, the Secretary-General. It has four main training programs. Each program has several training projects, the ATO Secretary-General added. At the end of his speech Al-Adsani expressed his thanks to the State of Qatar and the Ministry of Municipality and Urban Planning for hosting the event. (QNA)