His Excellency Mr. Ahmed
Aboul Gheit, Secretary-General of the League of Arab States, inaugurated
on 24 November the fifth edition of the Arab Sustainable Development
Week, held under the patronage of His Excellency President Abdel-Fattah
El-Sisi, President of the Arab Republic of Egypt.
Minister Plenipotentiary Gamal Roshdy, official spokesperson for the
Secretary-General, stated that Mr. Aboul Gheit delivered a keynote
speech emphasising the significance of this year’s theme: “Sustainable
Solutions for a Better Future: Resilience and Adaptability in a
Developing Arab World.” He noted that a substantial portion of the
timeframe allocated for achieving the goals of the 2030 Agenda for
Sustainable Development has already elapsed, yet the Arab region has not
attained a level that aligns with its aspirations. This reality
necessitates a collective acceleration of efforts and a strengthened
capacity for adaptation to overcome prevailing challenges.
The spokesman highlighted that Mr. Aboul Gheit underscored the
detrimental impact of the wars waged by Israel in the region,
particularly in Gaza and Lebanon. These conflicts not only diminish the
opportunities for achieving sustainable development but also contribute
to declining growth rates, the depletion of resources, and the loss of
potential opportunities. Furthermore, Mr. Aboul Gheit pointed to the
broader regional difficulties, compounded by global challenges such as
inflation, mounting debt burdens affecting both advanced and developing
economies, climate change, escalating migration phenomena, and conflicts
over natural resources.
The spokesperson further noted that Mr. Aboul Gheit highlighted key
events featured in the fifth edition of the Arab Sustainable Development
Week. Among them is the third Al-Baraka Regional Conference, titled
“Innovative Strategies for Poverty Alleviation.” This conference seeks
to draw upon the principles of Islamic heritage and its comprehensive
humanitarian approach to address the persistent issue of poverty, which
continues to hinder societal progress across all contexts.
Another significant event is the inaugural high-level Arab Regional
Forum on Investment and Sustainability, the first of its kind. This
forum aims to address the challenges and opportunities related to
investment and sustainability in the Arab region, taking into account
global economic trends, climate change, and regional fragility. The
forum also seeks to foster an interactive dialogue between governments
and investors to promote sustainable investment practices.
Additionally, Mr. Aboul Gheit affirmed the importance of the third Arab
Youth Summit, which provides a platform to nurture the aspirations and
ambitions of Arab youth. This summit encourages the implementation of
numerous initiatives and programmes designed to enhance youth
engagement, unleash their potential, and inspire innovation.
