Kuwait ready for hosting Arab-Afro summit

Kuwaiti Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Sheikh Salem Abdul- Aziz Al-Sabah underscored here Thursday the importance of the Arab-African summit to be held in Kuwait on November 19-20 as it would put in place the concept of cooperation and strengthening of relations with international communities, especially African nations. Speaking to KUNA on the sidelines of chairing Kuwait's delegation to the 92nd session of the Economic and Social Council that the preparations for the Arab-African summit in Kuwait was one of the main items on the agenda of this session. He added that the conferees also tackled recommendations and draft resolutions to be submitted to the summit especially those relating to the economic file which focuses on the development of Afro-Arab cooperation in various fields including economic, trade, investment, communications, information technology, transportation and ways to develop agricultural activity. Sheikh Salem stressed the importance of strengthening cooperation between the private sectors in each of the Arab and African countries, referring that this matter would be given great importance in the next summit. He unveiled that an Arab-African economic forum would precede the Arab-African summit in Nov. 11, saying it would allow the private sectors in the Arab and African countries to further exchange expertise in the financial and commercial affairs and economic development. On the main items on the agenda of the Economic and Social Council meeting, Sheikh Salem said numerous important including the Arab Customs Union and the Greater Arab Free Trade Zone were discussed. He said in this context, "There are still discussions and efforts being made about those topics", expressing hope that there will be positive developments and practical steps in this regard.