By Baraka Al-Jassar
(with photos) ABU DHABI, Jan 18 (KUNA) -- A United Arab Emirates (UAE) professor on Sunday extolled the Arab Economic, Development and Social Summit due to be held in Kuwait on Monday as a precious step towards more Arab integration.
The conferees would exploit the gathering in upgrading the level of common Arab action in the interest of Arab people and societies, United Arab Emirates (UAE) Zayed University Director Sulyiman al-Jassem told Kuwait News Agency (KUNA).
He called on the summit to focus on the principle of economic integration among all Arab countries, development of pan-Arab trade, common Arab investment stimulation, reactivation of Arab cooperation deals and plans and removal of technical, administrative and legislative obstacles that could block closer Arab cooperation.
More concerted Arab efforts need to be exerted in order to effectively meet stupendous political and economic challenges facing the Arab world, he urged.
The UEA professor blasted the level of pan-Arab trade as merely ranging between 8 and 10 percent, attributing that to customs, technical and administrative restrictions.
The Kuwait summit should be an experiment to work out an appropriate roadmap for more Arab economic development projects, he said.
He voiced hope that the Arab economic gathering would come up with an integrated program to support employment, reduce poverty, slash joblessness, overhaul the education system and improve healthcare. (end) bmj.mt KUNA 181613 Jan 09NNNN