Arab League chief underlines civil society's significant role

CAIRO, May 30 (KUNA) -- Arab League Secretary General Nabil Al-Araby has stressed the significant role of civil society organizations in developing Arab societies amid challenges the Arab region is facing.
The civil society organizations have played an outstanding role in changing many areas of societal development, including health and education, Al-Araby told the tenth conference of voluntary action on Saturday, in which Kuwait is participating.
These organizations also contributed to combating poverty and tackling a number of problems from which the Arab countries are suffering, he said.
He referred to the growing interest of the Arab League in the civil society organizations, explaining that this concern was also manifested through the adoption of a package of resolutions during the Arab economic and social summits of Kuwait in 2009, Sharm El-Sheikh in 2011 and Riyadh in 2013 aimed to promote and strengthen the role of these organizations.
Al-Araby pointed that the Arab League Secretariat has built a first database of the organizations in 17 Arab countries, saying this move will contribute to bolstering cooperation and partnership among these organizations in such countries.
The league is preparing a project during 2015-25 to create an appropriate atmosphere and build successful mechanisms among the organizations, the Arab governments and regional and international agencies, he said.
On his part, Sheikh Eissa bin Ali Al-Khalifa, the sponsor of the award of voluntary work, said in a speech that this action is a humanitarian necessity and main support for promoting social solidarity and cohesion.
The conference reviewed a number of projects of Egyptian volunteer society in this field.
Deputy head of the Kuwaiti Voluntary Work Center Ahmad Abdelmohsen took part in the event. (end) mfmrgh.hm