Omar Hilal Calls for International and Regional Consensus to Address Social Development Challenges
Omar Hilal, the Permanent Representative of Morocco to the United Nations and co-facilitator of the negotiations for the upcoming political declaration at the World Social Development Summit in Doha, stated that addressing the growing social challenges requires a unified and comprehensive vision that takes into account the cultural, religious, and ethnic particularities of peoples, based on innovative policies that ensure cohesion and stability.
In a recorded statement presented during the closing session of the Arab regional meeting held in Tunisia, Hilal explained that the ongoing negotiations regarding the political declaration are progressing in an open and inclusive manner, emphasizing that the goal is to arrive at a concise and action-oriented document. He expressed confidence that the outcomes of this Arab meeting will support the active participation of the Arab region during the summit negotiations.
The President of the United Nations General Assembly had appointed Omar Hilal alongside the Belgian ambassador to facilitate these negotiations in preparation for the Doha Summit next November, which comes amid increasing calls to rethink social policies in light of climate crises and multiple armed conflicts.
The two-day Arab meeting discussed key topics including multidimensional poverty, social inclusion of vulnerable groups, and social challenges during crises and disasters, with a focus on renewing commitment to the outcomes of the previous Copenhagen Summit and unifying the Arab vision for social development.
Rachid Kadida, Director of Development at the Ministry of Solidarity, Social Integration, and Family, highlighted Morocco’s experience in combating poverty and enhancing social protection, emphasizing the importance of the care economy as a lever for empowering vulnerable families and creating new job opportunities.
The meeting concluded with the presentation of a draft reference document outlining the Arab priorities for the upcoming summit, with the final approval of the document postponed until consultations on the proposed amendments are completed.
