Qatar Participates in 113th Session of Arab Economic and Social Council
Cairo, February 15 (QNA) - The State of Qatar took part in the 113th session of the Arab Economic and Social Council at the ministerial level, which was held at the headquarters of the General Secretariat of the Arab League on Thursday, under the presidency of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan.
HE Permanent Representative of the State of Qatar to the League of Arab States Tariq Ali Faraj Al Ansari headed the Qatari delegation at the session.
In his speech during the opening of the session, HE Tariq Ali Faraj Al Ansari expressed his thanks to the General Secretariat of the Arab League for preparing for the session, as well as to the member states for their efforts in preparing the topics of its agenda. He also lauded the efforts made by the sisterly Republic of Yemen during its presidency of the previous session, wishing the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan success in presiding over the current session.
His Excellency pointed out that this session is being held amidst rapid economic transformations and an ugly occupation that undermines the development gains of sisterly Palestine and the rest of the sisterly Arab countries that are subject to aggression. He also pointed out that there are rapid social changes that are burdening the Arab peoples with security, stability, and an impact on their conditions in terms of economic and social aspects.
HE Al Ansari saluted the steadfastness of the Palestinian people, who are still facing tragic conditions as a result of the brutal Israeli aggression, calling for the current session of the Council to focus on programs to alleviate the difficult social, humanitarian and health conditions witnessed by the brothers in the sisterly State of Palestine.
His Excellency appreciated the efforts of the sisterly and friendly countries as well as concerned international bodies to facilitate the delivery of humanitarian aid to the Palestinian people, especially those of the sisterly Arab Republic of Egypt in coordination with the Qatari authorities to deliver humanitarian aid to the Palestinian brothers through Al-Arish Airport, describing it as a role model for joint Arab action in the humanitarian, relief and development fields, which constitute the mainstay of the topics on the agenda of the current session of the Council.
Reaffirming the State of Qatar's firm position regarding the right of the Palestinian people to establish their independent state on the borders of June 4, 1967, His Excellency reiterated Qatar's solidarity with the Palestinian people who are subjected to killing and displacement. He called for collective support for the response plan presented by the State of Palestine, which the Secretary-General of the League of Arab States noted in his speech during the opening ion of this session.
He pointed out that Qatar's National Vision began in 2008 in order to achieve the requirements of economic and social development, pointing out that development took a political impetus at the leadership level through five-year strategies, where the first plan was for the period 2011-2016, and the second between 2017 and 2022, before The third plan begins in 2023, noting that the national strategy relied on sectoral strategies, with each vital sector in charge of the relevant ministry on the basis of formulating measurable programs and projects. These strategies have resulted in growth in the Qatari economic sector in the medium term, amounting to approximately 5.5 percent, supported by the significant expansion of liquefied natural gas production and the implementation of financial and other reforms to diversify sources of income, he added.
In the field of social work, His Excellency explained that Qatar National Vision 2030 contributed to creating a comprehensive and modern infrastructure for health care and an educational system that is comparable to the finest educational systems in the world, as the State of Qatar ranked highest in the world in terms of quality of education.
The national strategy also seeks to qualify youth, empower women, encourage young people to create and innovate, develop capabilities, and instill a spirit of belonging and citizenship, as well as implementing the social dimensions of the sustainable development goals by eliminating multidimensional poverty, ensuring the rights of children and people with disabilities, and serving social development issues, he said.
In this regard, His Excellency hailed the support directed by the State of Qatar to brotherly and friendly countries to carry out the same efforts through the Qatar Program for External Government and Civil Support, pointing out that the State of Qatar attaches importance to economic and social integration within the framework of the programs of the League of Arab States, in addition to being aware of the magnitude of the challenges facing Arab economies within the global economic system, and therefore the State of Qatar is making every effort to align its plans, programs and strategies with the decisions of the Economic and Social Council within the framework of Arab efforts to achieve the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals.
He stressed that the State of Qatar will continue its programs supporting Arab integration in the economic and social fields, especially programs related to Arab international cooperation.
HE the Permanent Representative of the State of Qatar to the Arab League highlighted the importance of the topics on the agenda of the session for joint Arab economic and social action, which will feed into the next Arab summit slated for May 2024 in the Kingdom of Bahrain. He called for activating the programs of the joint The Greater Arab Free Trade Area (GAFTA) and the Arab Customs Union as an important focus of the session's programme.
At the end of his speech, His Excellency expressed his thanks to all the sisterly Arab communities residing in the State of Qatar and working side by side with the Qatari people at all economic and social levels to achieve the development process in the State of Qatar. (QNA)
