Cairo: Minister of Labor Hassan Raddad announced that Egypt is prioritizing the development of youth skills to meet both domestic and international labor market demands, as directed by President Abdel Fattah El Sisi. This initiative forms a central part of the country's broader development efforts.
According to State Information Service Egypt, Raddad emphasized the importance of strengthening Arab partnerships in sectors such as training, employment, investment, and labor mobility to better serve common interests and support integration among Arab nations. During his address at the 52nd session of the Arab Labor Conference in Cairo, held from September 13 to 20, Raddad highlighted that joint Arab action is crucial to overcoming the economic, social, and geopolitical challenges facing the region and the world.
Raddad pointed out that the Arab world's strength should be measured not just by its resources but by its capacity to convert these resources into production, job creation, development, and improved social protection. He advocated for broader Arab cooperation, proposing that efforts extend beyond mere coordination to form comprehensive practical partnerships in key areas such as training, employment, and investment. This includes sharing expertise, facilitating capital and labor movement, and opening Arab labor markets to qualified workers, thereby enhancing the Arab economy's resilience.
He further stressed that President El Sisi's directives prioritize support for all forms of joint Arab action, driven by a firm belief that Arab cooperation can lead to increased production, more jobs, greater investment, and deeper integration among Arab nations.
Raddad also congratulated Jordanian Minister of Labor Nidal Al-Qatamin on his leadership of the conference and expressed gratitude to the Arab Labor Organization's Director-General Fayez Al-Mutairi for his contributions to advancing Arab labor issues.
The conference, Raddad noted, is taking place amid complex economic, social, and geopolitical conditions that have created interconnected challenges for Arab countries, such as disrupted supply chains and increased costs in energy, transportation, and insurance, along with pressures on the global economy and labor markets. These challenges, he asserted, make joint Arab action indispensable.
He concluded by underscoring the importance of transitioning from coordinating positions to establishing practical partnerships across areas like training, employment, investment, and labor mobility. Raddad indicated that he had thoroughly reviewed the Director-General's report, "Sustainable Economic Growth: Towards Inclusive and Equitable Social Development in Arab Countries," which outlines the vital connection between economic growth, social protection, and sustainable development.