Dr. Maya Morsi, Minister of Social Solidarity and Chairperson of the Executive Office of the Arab Ministers of Social Affairs, chaired the opening of the 82nd session of the Executive Office held at the headquarters of the Arab League General Secretariat, attended by ministers and ambassadors members of the Executive Office, Minister Plenipotentiary Enas Al-Farghani supervising the Social Affairs sector, and Minister Plenipotentiary Tarek Al-Nabulsi, head of the technical secretariat of the Council of Arab Ministers of Social Affairs.

The Minister welcomed the attendees to their second home, the Arab Republic of Egypt, which always delights in the presence of Arab brothers at important Arab and international forums. She extended a special welcome to the ministers and ambassadors in the newly formed Executive Office, expressing her confidence that through joint work, they will contribute to enhancing Arab social developmental work, especially during this difficult phase, where the role of the Executive Office and the Council of Arab Ministers of Social Affairs is prominent as the council concerned with daily human life, coordinating with ministerial councils and other relevant bodies.

Dr. Maya Morsi offered her sincere condolences on behalf of herself and the Executive Office members to the martyrs who are victims of the war in the Gaza Strip from the State of Palestine, and to sister Qatar for the death of three members of the Amiri Diwan in a traffic accident in Sharm El-Sheikh, praying for God’s mercy upon them and wishing a speedy recovery for the injured.

The Chairperson explained that the 82nd session is held under extraordinary circumstances, as the region still witnesses severe conflicts and challenges, foremost among them the ongoing Israeli practices and the severe human rights violations suffered by the people in the Gaza Strip. Egypt is making significant efforts, and concurrently with this meeting, an international summit titled “Sharm El-Sheikh Peace Summit” is held under the joint presidency of President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi and former U.S. President Donald Trump. This summit is expected to resolve the situation and complement Egyptian, Arab, and Council efforts not only to deliver social and humanitarian aid but also to prepare for the difficult social conditions of our brothers in Gaza. Supporting social and humanitarian conditions in sister Palestine tops our agenda, and the difficult social and humanitarian conditions in several Arab sister countries are also a priority on the Executive Office’s agenda.

Coordination with the Council’s technical secretariat ensured the inclusion of relevant agenda items and draft resolutions, emphasizing the important role of the Executive Office.

Dr. Maya Morsi also pointed out that this session holds special importance as it precedes the “Second Global Summit for Social Development” scheduled to be held in sister Qatar from November 4 to 6, 2025. The Council of Arab Ministers of Social Affairs has initiated preparing the Arab social developmental priorities for this summit to include them in the expected declaration. She extended special thanks to the Arab Group and the Arab League mission in New York for their efforts in coordination with the Council’s technical secretariat to include many Arab priorities in the upcoming declaration of this important international summit.

Additionally, the follow-up on social dimensions of the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals, especially regarding multidimensional poverty eradication, rights of persons with disabilities, the elderly, family, and childhood, are priority topics affecting the life of the Arab citizen. Also included are enhancing Arab integration to face climate change impacts on vulnerable social groups, digital empowerment for social inclusion, and other important topics and initiatives under discussion. These enable the Executive Office to submit necessary and actionable decisions to the next session of the Council of Arab Ministers of Social Affairs scheduled for December, positively impacting Arab citizens’ lives and contributing effectively to fulfilling Arab and international commitments.

The Minister concluded her speech by affirming continuous communication and coordination with Executive Office members, especially during this phase, emphasizing the pursuit of preparing and implementing decisions that contribute to achieving the desired social development, enabling monitoring, follow-up, and evaluation of social development paths and implementing the decisions of the Arab Summit and Council to achieve the intended goals.