LOC18:09
15:09 GMT
CAIRO, June 25 (KUNA) -- Secretary-General of the Arab League Dr. Nabil
Al-Arabi pointed out here on Tuesday the Arab region was still undergoing
divergent demographic challenges such as unemployment, marginalization, low
income, and immigration despite Arab states' efforts to strengthen and employ
development opportunities.
Latest data showed that a major number of Arab countries will not be able
to accomplish most of the goals of World Population Plan of Action by 2014, as
well as the Millennium Development Goals by 2015, Al-Arabi said during his
opening speech at the Regional Population and Development Conference, entitled
"Development Challenges and Population Dynamics in a Changing Arab Region,
which kicked off on Monday in the Egyptian capital.
Also, he noted the Arab world is currently witnessing high unemployment
rates, compared to other international regions, adding that these high rates
contributed in aggravating poverty and marginalization rates as they were some
of the main causes of the latest political events that took place in many Arab
countries.
In addition, Al-Arabi explained that some of the low-income Arab countries
are still undergoing high rates of population growth, death of mothers,
illiteracy, low awareness, and bad health services, affirming at the same time
that other Arab states are witnessing high populated migrations to their lands
such as forced, irregular, work, and competencies.
Furthermore, he asserted that wars and conflicts contributed in aggravating
numbers of immigrants and refugees in the region, making it one of the world's
biggest regions in hosting refugees.
The current conference is of great importance since it is occurring after
two decades of the first population conference in 1994, which resulted in
creating a 20 year program of action.
Moreover, the conference will discuss how well the program was applied in
the Arab world, and will also set a development plan to be executed beyond
2014.
The three-day conference, will aim to provide a better life for the 370
million people of the Arab world population, especially with the recent
demographic, economic, social, and political changes they are facing.
Kuwait's delegation for the conference is expected to be headed by Minister
of State for Planning and Development and Minister of State for National
Assembly Affairs Dr. Rola Dashti. (end)
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