LOC12:49
09:49 GMT
KUWAIT, Jan 17 (KUNA) -- His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Nasser Al-Mohammad Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah reiterating Saturday the call to the international community to take immediate action to stop the Israeli aggression on Gaza Strip and to achieve just and comprehensive peace in the Middle East and the establishment of a Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital.
Speaking at the inauguration of the "Private Sector and Civil Society Forum, " held on the sidelines of the Arab Economic Summit, he said this meeting was of great importance as it came at a time when the Arab world was going through extraordinary circumstances, especially with the continued Israeli aggression against our Palestinian brothers in Gaza Strip.
He expressed great concern over the "tragic" situation in Gaza and the great hardship under which the Palestinians there were living, reiterating the demand that the international community take immediate action to stop this aggression and to move to achieve just and comprehensive peace in the Middle East and the establishment of a Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital.
He said that given these challenges, Arabs were required to work seriously and effectively to achieve economic integration, which would in turn give the nations strength to face challenges and guarantee a better future in a world that no longer tolerated weakness and division.
His Highness Sheikh Nasser said that in the past ten years, the Arab states had sought economic reforms aimed at regulating state budgets, liberalizing commerce, improving the legislative environment to keep up with developments in the fields of information, communication, and liberalizing markets.
Moreover, he said Arab states exerted great efforts to encourage local and foreign investments with the aim of pushing forth development and providing job opportunities for Arabs.
"You no doubt realize that the challenges are still great and the obstacles are inter-connected, at a time when aspirations are high," he said, and thus the desire to overcome obstacles "has become a necessary demand that can have no alternative, and a concern for us all." He said that given Kuwait's keenness for boosting Arab cooperation in all fields, especially in the economic field, His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah called for holding this summit.
This, he said, stemmed from Kuwait's belief that discussion of economic, development and social issues was the means to deepening inter-Arab relations and creating a qualitative leap in all economic areas in the interest of Arab states and their people.
His Highness Sheikh Nasser underscored the efforts exerted by the Arab League Secretariat in Cairo and committee in Kuwait that prepared for this gathering since it was announced at the Arab Summit in Riyadh in March 2007.
He noted that on the sidelines of the summit, events were taking place with the contribution of the private sector and civil societies, saying that these were main partners in proposing and placing programs for boosting sustainable development in Arab states.
The premier said the forum was the fruit of sincere efforts to expand participation to include the private sector and civil societies in issues related to economic challenges in the Arab world.
He said the challenges faced by the Arab world in the economic and social spheres required reviewing priorities and developing new procedures and measures to tackle them, noting that the topics that would be discussed at the forum here today and tomorrow reflected these challenges.
Moreover, he said the forum's agenda reflected the desire to boost joint Arab action in issues related to the development of energy, diversifying production, expanding inter-Arab trade and investment, as well as food security, agriculture policies, energy sources, transportation, water, climate change and the environment.
He noted that there was a special session of the forum dedicated to discussing youth affairs, unemployment, immigration, and drug addiction, as they were important issues that had negative consequences.
His Highness Sheikh Nasser greeted, on behalf of His Highness the Amir, participants in the summit, and hoped that this meeting would achieve the desired development and prosperity for the Arab nations and people. (pickup previous) kt KUNA 171249 Jan 09NNNN