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Arab leaders issue resolutions, emphasize Gaza reconstruction efforts

KUWAIT, Jan 20 (KUNA) -- The Arab leaders, in the resolutions issued by the Arab Economic Summit "In Solidarity with Gaza," underscored Tuesday the importance of reconstruction efforts in Gaza Strip through a rehabilitation and construction program in coordination with the Palestinian Authority.
The resolutions were announced at the summit's closing session by Arab League Secretary General Amr Moussa.
They called for continuing to present humanitarian assistance to Gazans, providing financial and technical support for the rehabilitation of infrastructure, health services, and improving living standards of Palestinians in the Strip.
Moreover, they called for quickly completing the Arab electrical linkage project and removing all obstacles facing the project in action.
As for the railway linkage system, they called for launching the project in line with the plan placed by the Council of Arab Transport Ministers and for member states to take steps to adapt their national legislations to remove all obstacles facing the completion of the project.
They also urged Arab financial institutions to carry out more active role in increasing funding and investments in the Arab countries with special emphasis on integration projects.
The Arab leaders, in their resolutions, vowed continued support for the national financial institutions to contribute to stability of the global financial situation, and emphasized importance of stability of oil prices for best interest of oil producers and consumers.
Another resolution called for adopting necessary measures to establish the custom union as of 2010 to be fully operational by 2015 to ultimately establish the Common Arab Market.
The leaders praised efforts of the private sector in supporting joint Arab action and invited it to continue contributing to Arab economic development.
They also called for activating the role of civil societies in the economic, social, and development fields and boosting partnership with Arab organizations and corporations to achieve the development, social, and economic goals.
Furthermore, the Arab leaders called for launching an emergency Arab food security program.
On water security, they tasked the Council of Arab Water Ministers with preparing a strategy for water security in the Arab region to face challenges and requirements for sustainable development.
In their resolutions, the leaders called for executing the comprehensive program for cutting unemployment rates in Arab states through the Arab Labor Organization and related bodies in the member states.
They designated 2010-2020 as the "Arab decade for employment and reducing poverty by half," and giving priority to developmental policies in the Arab states in order to boost employment rates and create jobs, curb unemployment, and improve living standards.
As for poverty, they called for implementing the Arab program for combating poverty and financing its programs for four years, while inviting Arab finance institutions to contribute to financing them.
On education, Arab leaders called for the execution of a plan to develop education in the Arab world between 2009 and 2019.
As for health, the leaders called on Arab governments to improve health care services, implement family care systems, and including this on the agenda of Arab health ministries. (end) kt KUNA 201438 Jan 09NNNN