CAIRO- Minister of Housing, Urban Planning and City, interim Minister of Trade AbdelmadjidTebboune called Thursday in Cairo for pursuing the reform and the development of the Arab Economic and Social Council, stressing the need for completing the establishment of the Arab Free Trade Area.
At the opening of the 99th session of the Council chaired by Algeria, Tebboune said that the Council played a leading role in the joint Arab action and works for the creation of an Arab unified economic and social block.
The situation the Arab countries “are experiencing and its impact on the economic and social sectors, requires from the Council to make additional efforts to address the social and economic repercussions caused by these developments,” he said.
This project can be achieved only after the removal of all the obstacles hampering trade, the customs union and the Arab common market, Tebboune added.
“We have to pursue the reform and the development of our current mechanisms ruling the Council action by defining the priorities in the action plans,” added Tebboune.
The minister however regretted the dependence of the Arab countries on other parties in terms of raw materials, the delay in development and the lack of integration links, even if they are among the world’s most rich countries in the natural and human resources.
“To reach the economic complementarity in the Arab countries, we have to assign the same importance to the social and economic questions given their direct impact on the daily life of the citizen,” insisted Tebboune.
“I particularly insist on the questions related to children, youth, women and the vulnerable categories, through the improvement of the conditions specific to each category (education and training), the reduction of unemployment and the alleviation of poverty.”
Source: Tebboune calls in Cairo for pursuing reform of Arab Economic and Social Council
