LOC20:37
17:37 GMT
(with photos) KUWAIT, Jan 15 (KUNA) -- The Arab foreign ministers meeting to take place on Friday ahead of the Arab Economic, Social and Development Summit, will give top priority to how to tackle the crisis ensuing from the ongoing Israeli aggression Gaza Strip, a senior Arab League official said on Thursday.
"The foreign ministers will hold two meetings the first of which will focus on the catastrophic situation in Gaza," Chief of Staff of Arab League Secretary General's Office Hisham Youssef told KUNA here.
Youssef made the comments on the sidelines of the league's meeting on the permanent-delegate level, being held as part of preparations for the summit which will take place in Kuwait on January 19-20.
"Following the meeting on Gaza, the Arab foreign ministers will hold a joint meeting with Arab ministers of finance, economy and commerce to probe the agenda of the planned summit," he disclosed.
"The two meetings will decide on the possible support for Gaza Strip in the economic, humanitarian and reconstruction domains," he said, noting that the possible decisions would be referred to the summit for final endorsement.
The preparations for the long-awaited summit took one and half years to outline viable solutions for the problems of poverty and unemployment and increase the bilateral trade volumes and investment in the infrastructure sectors.
The summit is expected to adopt resolutions on facilitation of the movement of capital, commodities and labor and improvement of education, the league official pointed out.
The Arab countries showed a strong political will to enhance the role of private sector partners in the development process across the Arab world, Youssef underscored.
He voiced confidence that the summit would open new channels for mutual investments, improve the standards of living of the Arab citizens and accelerate steps towards the Arab common market and customs union. (end) kz.gb.
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