77th CAMSA executive office session kicks off

AMMAN — The 77th session of the executive office of the Council of Arab Ministers of Social Affairs (CAMSA) kicked off in Amman on Wednesday.

Social Development Minister Ayman Al Mufleh, who is also the executive office's chairperson of the council, said that joint Arab cooperation for the entirety of the executive office’s work for the year showed complementarily action in the completion of all Council-approved decisions and activities during its 41st session held in Riyadh in 2021, according to a ministry statement.

The region has been experiencing continued difficult circumstances, including the repercussions of the COVID-19 pandemic, a range of social and cultural transformations and changes as well as multiple regional crises.

The most recent of crises is the Ukrainian crisis, and all have posed challenges in implementing sustainable development and social protection policies that address multidimensional poverty and social phenomena, he said.

The minister noted that a comprehensive report on the executive office’s draft decisions will be submitted to the next session of the CAMSA, expressing hope that the report will include a different approach for drawing up plans for post-pandemic economic recovery, identifying priorities for food security and updating regional social protection policies.

Assistant Secretary-General and Head of the Social Affairs Sector at the League of Arab States Haifa Abu Ghazaleh expressed appreciation for Jordan and the Ministry of Social Development's efforts in presiding over the executive office for three years.

During that period, the COVID-19 pandemic presented severe social and humanitarian consequences on various segments of society, she said, noting that the executive office, in coordination with the Arab League, has helped contain the repercussions.

She added that the executive office session is held to discuss the social file that is submitted to the Arab Summit, scheduled to be hosted by Algeria, noting that the issues focus on vulnerable groups, especially persons with disabilities, the elderly and children.