AMMAN — Prime Minister Jafar Hassan on Wednesday opened the High-Level Arab Conference on Implementing the Declaration of the Second Global Summit on Social Development, held during the 45th session of the Council of Arab Ministers of Social Affairs. 

 

Organised by the Arab League in cooperation with the Ministry of Social Development, the conference brought together Arab ministers of social development and Arab League Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul Gheit, according to a Prime Ministry statement.

 

Minister of Social Development and chair of the 45th session of the Council, Wafaa Bani Mustafa, highlighted that the social challenges facing the Arab world today test the collective capacity to build sustainable and resilient systems.

 

She stressed the importance of enhancing Arab integration, exchanging expertise, and unlocking the potential of youth to manage resources better.

 

Bani Mustafa noted the commitment of the Kingdom to a comprehensive development model, including political, economic and administrative modernisation, alongside the National Social Protection Strategy 2025–2030, implemented through a detailed action plan, allocated budgets and clear timelines.

 

She added that Jordan has developed advanced legislation in line with international standards to promote social justice and strengthen protection for vulnerable groups.

 

The minister also emphasised the humanitarian efforts of Jordan to support Palestinians in Gaza and across Palestine, through relief initiatives, mobile medical teams, field hospitals, and land convoys, coordinated by the government, the Jordanian Hashemite Charitable Organisation (JHCO), and the Jordan Armed Forces (JAF).

 

Citing the International Labour Organisation, Bani Mustafa said low- and middle-income countries still face substantial funding gaps in social protection, requiring additional investment of US$1.4 trillion, equivalent to 3.3 per cent of GDP.

 

She added that UN ESCWA’s 2025 Social Spending Observatory report shows a strategic shift in social spending of Jordan towards essential services, particularly education and hospital-based healthcare, reflecting growing investment in human capital.

 

The minister highlighted the establishment of the Arab Centre for Social Policy Studies and Multidimensional Poverty Eradication in Jordan as a regional technical body supporting the development of policies and programmes for social protection, with particular focus on the most vulnerable.

 

She called for the Amman Declaration to serve as an executive document reflecting Arab consensus and providing a roadmap for social integration and inclusive development.

 

Secretary-General of the Arab League Ahmed Aboul Gheit welcomed the conference, praising Jordan for hosting Arab and international events.

 

He highlighted the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, warning that the Israeli occupation continues to undermine the ceasefire, exposing Palestinians to harsh winter conditions, displacement, and risk to children.

 

He called for urgent support to restore normal life in Gaza and aid Palestinians in Gaza, the West Bank and East Jerusalem, noting the Arab Development, Economic and Social Summit in Baghdad, held last May, as a framework for long-term social transformation.

 

Egyptian Minister of Social Solidarity Maya Morsi, and Chair of the Executive Bureau of the Council of Arab Ministers of Social Affairs, welcomed Jordan’s initiative and stressed the importance of tackling poverty, promoting decent work, and building inclusive and resilient societies that place human dignity and human rights at the centre of social policies.

 

She proposed that the Amman Declaration be submitted to the next Arab Summit for political endorsement.

 

The opening ceremony was attended by ministers, senior officials, and ambassadors from Arab countries.