​In continuation of the League of Arab States' commitment to advancing the rights of persons with disabilities, a high-level delegation led by Her Excellency Ambassador Dr. Haifa Abu Ghazaleh, Assistant Secretary-General and head of the Social Affairs Sector, participated on behalf of His Excellency the Secretary-General of the League in the Third World Summit on Persons with Disabilities, convened in the German capital, Berlin, on 2-3 April. The summit was inaugurated by His Majesty King Abdullah II and the Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany, Olaf Scholz, in light of its co-chairmanship by the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan and the Federal Republic of Germany.

In her remarks, Her Excellency Ambassador Dr. Abu Ghazaleh underscored the active engagement of the League of Arab States in the summit, in coordination with the International Disability Alliance and the Higher Council for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in Jordan. She said that the League played a leading role in the regional preparatory process, ensuring that Arab priorities were clearly articulated and reflected in the summit's agenda and outcomes.

Ambassador Dr. Haifa Abu Ghazaleh highlighted the notable high-level Arab participation at the ministerial level during the summit, underscoring the League of Arab States' pivotal role in convening a prominent Arab side event titled "Technology, Innovation, and Entrepreneurship: Advancing Independent Living for Persons with Disabilities." The event was honoured by the presence of His Royal Highness Prince Mired bin Raad, Chairman of the Higher Council for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in Jordan, and witnessed the participation of several Arab ministers and heads of delegations.

Also in attendance were Her Excellency Ms. Svenja Schulze, Minister for Economic Cooperation and Development of the Federal Republic of Germany; Her Excellency Ms. Alessandra Locatelli, Minister for Persons with Disabilities of the Italian Republic; His Excellency Mr. Łukasz Krasoń, State Plenipotentiary for Persons with Disabilities of the Republic of Poland; and Dr. Annette von Kalkreut, head of the Directorate-General for Participation of Persons with Disabilities, Social Compensation, and Social Assistance, representing His Excellency Mr. Hubertus Heil, Federal Minister of Labor and Social Affairs of the Federal Republic of Germany.

The outcomes of this high-level Arab event emerged as a key pillar among the significant results of the Amman-Berlin Summit, reinforcing the Arab region's commitment to inclusive development and the empowerment of persons with disabilities.

In parallel, and as part of its broader engagement at the summit, the League of Arab States, in collaboration with the Arab Organisation of Persons with Disabilities, the International Disability Alliance, and the Arab Gulf Programme for Development (AGFUND), organised a dedicated side event entitled "Perspectives of Persons with Disabilities and Stakeholders on the Situation of Persons with Disabilities in Gaza." This event cast a critical spotlight on the ongoing humanitarian tragedy endured by persons with disabilities in the Gaza Strip, underscoring the urgent need for immediate intervention to address this unfolding humanitarian catastrophe.

The event firmly denounced the persistent violations perpetrated by Israel, the occupying power, particularly its obstruction of humanitarian aid destined for persons with disabilities. It called for decisive international action to reverse such inhumane practices.

The event culminated in a series of important recommendations, foremost among them the inclusion of a clear and unequivocal reference within the outcome document of the World Disability Summit, highlighting the plight of persons with disabilities in Gaza and their dire need for basic necessities—including food, water, shelter, and even tents. The recommendations further stressed the imperative of reopening border crossings to facilitate the unimpeded entry of humanitarian aid, particularly given the prolonged closure of crossings for over a month.

Additionally, emphasis was placed on the continued support for Palestinian civil society organisations, in coordination with the Palestinian government, as well as the necessity of monitoring and documenting violations and the conditions faced by persons with disabilities and other wounded and injured individuals. The event reaffirmed the urgent call to ensure the delivery of humanitarian assistance and to mobilise all necessary support mechanisms to that end.

Ambassador Dr. Abu Ghazaleh affirmed that at the conclusion of the summit, the League of Arab States officially announced its endorsement of the Amman-Berlin Declaration, a pivotal outcome of the proceedings. She stated that this declaration stands among the most significant international instruments in support of the rights and empowerment of persons with disabilities. She noted that the General Secretariat, through the Council of Arab Ministers of Social Affairs, will work in close coordination with its strategic partners—namely the International Disability Alliance and the Arab Organisation of Persons with Disabilities—and in cooperation with United Nations agencies, regional bodies, and specialised institutions of joint Arab action, to implement the provisions of the declaration in a manner that yields tangible improvements in the lives of persons with disabilities.

Her Excellency further explained that, within the framework of enhancing multilateral cooperation between the League of Arab States, its partners, and Member States, a high-level delegation from the League held a series of bilateral meetings on the margins of the summit. These included a meeting with His Royal Highness Prince Mired bin Raad, Chairman of the Higher Council for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in Jordan, and a meeting with Mr. Niels Annen, Parliamentary State Secretary to the Federal Minister for Economic Cooperation and Development of the Federal Republic of Germany.

The League delegation also held substantive discussions with Dr. Nawaf Kabbara, Chairman of the International Disability Alliance and the Higher Council for Disability, as well as with the Ministers of Social Affairs of the State of Qatar and the Kingdom of Bahrain, the Minister of Health of the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria, the Minister of Solidarity, Social Integration, and Family of the Kingdom of Morocco, and the Director-General of the Executive Office of the Council of Ministers of Labour and Social Affairs of the Gulf Cooperation Council States.

The meetings focused on consolidating joint efforts to promote and protect the rights of persons with disabilities across the Arab region, and on the imperative of ensuring that disability remains a central issue on the agenda of the upcoming Second Social Development Summit, scheduled to be held in Doha, Qatar, in November—pursuant to a resolution adopted by the United Nations General Assembly.