LOC17:24
14:24 GMT
Assistant undersecretary at the Kuwaiti Ministry of Finance Sami Al-Sagabi during the meeting
DEAD SEA, Jordan, March 23 (KUNA) -- The Arab Economic and Social Council has begun preparing files that will be submitted to the forthcoming Arab summit, said Sami Al-Sagabi, the assistant undersecretary at the Kuwaiti Ministry of Finance, on Thursday.
Al-Saqabi was speaking to KUNA following the Council's meeting, during which participants examined a host of social and economic issues, pending submission to the top Arab leaders, scheduled to meet on Wednesday.
The participants in the preparatory meeting examined a report by the Arab League General Secretary regarding tasks accomplished between the 27th summit held last year and the upcoming session, due in Jordan. They also discussed the great Arab trade free zone, the common Arab custom union, Arab commercial and business conditions.
The Kuwaiti delegation during the meeting noted His Highness the Amir's initiative for supporting small and medium enterprises in Arab countries, he said adding that up to 12 Arab countries have benefited from it. Moreover, Kuwait has presented loans worth USD 1.2 billion for the Arab states as contributions to such projects.
The conferees, he added, endorsed the Arab strategy for hydro creatures (2017-2037), the framework emergency plan for the second phase of the Arab emergency food security program (2017-2021) and the Arab treaty for exchanging botanic resources.
Another preparatory meeting at the level of permanent delegates at the Arab League will be held on Saturday to prepare for the ministerial meeting that would held ahead of the summit. Ministers in charge of economic and social affairs will also hold a meeting on Sunday.
The preparatory meeting for the foreign ministers will be held ahead of the summit.
The preliminary meetings for the forthcoming 28th Arab Summit opened in the wondrous Dead Sea earlier on Thursday, 55 kilometers southwest of the capital Amman, with participation of a Kuwaiti delegation.
Kuwait's delegation to the meetings, which aim to set the stage for the Arab Summit, comprises Al-Saqabi, the ministry's Director of the Arab and Gulf Economic Cooperation Department Yousef Al-Roumi and Inspector of Arab Affairs Zuwaid Al-Mutairi. (pickup previous)
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