Development, in its comprehensive sense and various economic, social and human dimensions, remains a lifeline to end the crises besetting some countries in the Arab region and to engage in a comprehensive human-centred, development process that begins and ends with the human being and takes into account the principle of sustainability that protects societies from the scourges of extremism and terrorism, and strengthens their immunity against social tensions and violence.
It is no secret that the Arab world is undergoing a sustained development movement led by pioneers having an unconventional vision to transfer societies to a better place, and a sincere determination to move towards the process of reform and change.
It remains necessary and imperative that the League of Arab States, being the most important and the biggest “Home of the Arabs”, must highlight the successful and inspirational development practices in the Arab region, so that those interested and acting in development areas can benefit from and inspire these practices.
Therefore, the League’s Secretary-General has decided to grant an annual symbolic award, the Arab Development Action Shield, to leading Arab figures that offer prominent, tangible and influential contributions in the area of development in its comprehensive sense, with a view to benefit from their experiences.
The winner of the Arab Development Action Shield will be declared in April of each year, and the League’s Secretary-General will deliver the award at the Secretariat General headquarters.
It should be noted that the winner of the 2016 award was H.R.H Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa, Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Bahrain since its independence, being an eminent person in the area of development in the Arab region. Al Khalifa has evolved in the modernisation battle since the 1970s, and his achievements in Bahrain attest to his distinctive reform vision and brave development thinking.
