Helen Clark called on countries to invest in employment-intensive and inclusive growth strategies, and to increase regional cooperation and integration, while Mahmoud Mohieldin highlighted the potential for green jobs in Arab countries investing in concentrated solar power.
19 January 2011: The Second Arab Economic, Social and Development Summit took place on 19 January 2011, in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt. Speakers at the Summit included Helen Clark, UN Development Programme (UNDP) Administrator, and Mahmoud Mohieldin, World Bank Managing Director. UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon also sent a statement.
Clark noted that the Third Arab Report on the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and the Impact of the Global Economic Crisis highlights the most pressing development challenges of the region, including high rates of unemployment. The report is a joint publication by UNDP with the League of Arab States and the UN Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (UNESCWA), and was issued as a background document for the Summit.
In order to address poverty and food insecurity, Clark called on countries to invest in employment-intensive and inclusive growth strategies, and to increase regional cooperation and integration to address development challenges such as migration and water resource management. Clark indicated that UNDP’s collaboration with the League of Arab States covers a broad range of issues, including water governance and climate change efforts, HIV/AIDS, anti-corruption and boosting trade measures.
Mohieldin highlighted the potential of the Arab region in the renewable energy sector. He explained that the World Bank and International Finance Corporation (IFC), together with the African Development Bank (AfDB) and other partners, are supporting the scaling up of renewable energy sources with emphasis on concentrated solar power (CSP) in the Arab world. Mohieldin cited the example of Morocco, which has launched the largest solar power plant project in the world, noting that CSP provides a major opportunity for green jobs in Arab countries.
UN Secretary-General Ban noted the progress achieved by Arab States on sustainable development and the MDGs. At the same time, he urged governments to place a greater emphasis on social cohesion, and he noted that new spikes in food prices pose an additional challenge. He called on Arab countries to sustain and increase assistance for development initiatives, and asked the region’s leaders to “make the most of the Arab world’s rich human and material resources to generate jobs, strengthen economies, manage natural resources, promote trade and ensure effective, responsive governance.” [UNDP Press Release] [World Bank Press Release] [UNSG Statement]