UAE participates in meetings of Council of Arab Ministers of Youth, Sports in Baghdad

The UAE participated in the 48th session of the Council of Arab Ministers of Youth and Sports, along with the 71st session of the Executive Office of the Council, hosted in the Iraqi capital, Baghdad.

The UAE was represented by Ghanem Mubarak Al Hajri, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Sports, alongside ministers and officials from the youth and sports sectors of several Arab countries, as well as officials from the Arab League.

The meetings reviewed several projects and initiatives aimed at supporting and empowering Arab youth, including the Arab Strategy for Youth, Peace, and Security, which is set to be launched in 2025 and included in the agenda of the upcoming Arab Summit. Additionally, initiatives for the establishment of the Arab Youth Union, the Arab Forum for Young Inventors, and programmes focused on empowering youth and enhancing their roles in advancing their communities were discussed. They also addressed ways to develop sports infrastructure in Arab countries, support community sports, and enhance cooperation between clubs and sports institutions.

Al-Hajri emphasised the UAE's commitment, in line with the vision and guidance of its leadership, to support joint Arab action in the field of sports development and youth empowerment. He reaffirmed the UAE's dedication to advancing integration and cooperation in developing effective initiatives and policies that elevate the Arab sports sector to new heights and enhance its role as a fundamental pillar of sustainable development, serving the concerns and interests of Arab youth and opening wider horizons for their contributions to the growth of their countries and communities.

The meetings also addressed several youth and sports issues, including a proposal to create a fund to support the rebuilding of sports facilities damaged in Gaza and southern Lebanon, the Arab Forum for Camping and Scouting, and the Excellence and Creativity Award for talented youth, along with several activities aimed at developing the sports sector in the Arab world.

The meetings resulted in several fruitful recommendations, most notably the announcement of Amman as the Arab Youth Capital for 2025, in addition to Jordan being designated to host the launch of the implementation plan for the Arab Strategy for Youth, Peace, and Security for the years 2023-2028.