Supreme Council for Planning and Development (SCPD) Secretary General Adel Al-Wugayan said here on Thursday Arab countries should meet development challenges, mainly poor competitiveness, economic slowdown and joblessness. Addressing the first meeting of the board of trustees of the Arab Planning Institute (API), which kicked off here today, Al-Wugayan said it is necessary for Arab countries to provide jobs for young graduates in all fields. He called for adopting fresh policies based on curbing public budget deficit and maintain economic growth stimulus programs. The AIP has developed an approach to revamp its specializations in the fields of training, technical and institutional support, consulting services and research activities, he said in a speech he read out on behalf of the Kuwaiti minister of social affairs and labor. It has also worked out new programs pertinent to small and medium-sized enterprises, the SCPD chief pointed out. The Arab Planning Institute (API) comprises 17 member states; Kuwait, Jordan, UAE, Bahrain, Tunisia, Sudan, Syria, Iraq, Oman, Palestine, Qatar, Lebanon, Libya, Egypt, Mauritania, Yemen and Morocco.