Arab League Secretary General Nabil el Arabi stressed on Wednesday the importance of intensifying efforts to achieve sustainable development in the region.

Speaking at the opening of a Ministerial Conference on Implementation of the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda in Arab Countries, Arabi said that focusing on the citizens' fundamental rights within the framework of dignity, justice and equality is the only way to implement this agenda.

He further noted that the 25th Arab Summit that was held in Kuwait in 2014 endorsed an initiative to eliminate illiteracy in the Arab world.

Since the launching of the dialogue on the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda, the Arab League's bodies, in cooperation with UN agencies, had identified the Arab developmental priorities for the 2030 agenda under the theme "social justice" with the view to eradicating poverty and unemployment and ensure the good quality of health care services, Arabi said.

The Arab Summit that was held in the Red Sea resort of Sharm el Sheikh welcomed all efforts exerted by the Arab League and the UN to outline an Arab plan to implement the 2030 agenda, he added.

He deemed the Israeli occupation as a main obstacle to the development march in the region. 

The deteriorating situation in Syria has a negative impact on neighboring countries and constitutes a major challenge to the achievement of sustainable development in the region, Arabi said. 

The conference, held under the auspices of President Abdel Fatah El Sisi, will also honor Nabil el Arabi on the occasion of his end of tenure as AL secretary general.

Source: MENA