The 51st session of the Arab Labor Conference commenced this morning in Cairo, under the patronage of His Excellency President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi. The event sees the participation of 18 Arab Ministers of Labor and 440 attendees representing the tripartite constituents—governments, employers, and workers—as well as representatives from the Arab League, regional and international organizations, ambassadors, and public figures.

In the opening session, attended by Ahmed Aboul Gheit, Secretary-General of the Arab League; Fayez Ali Al-Mutairi, Director-General of the Arab Labor Organization; and Mohammad Al-Jitan, Vice President of the Jordan Chamber of Industry and Vice Chairman of the Arab Labor Organization, His Excellency Dr. Mohammad Saeed Al-Zawari, Minister of Social Affairs and Labor and President of the Conference, delivered an address.

At the beginning of his speech, Minister Al-Zawari extended his sincere gratitude and appreciation to President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi for his generous patronage of the conference and to the Egyptian government for hosting the headquarters of the Arab Labor Organization in Cairo and providing all necessary support for its success.

He welcomed the esteemed ministers, dignitaries, and all delegates representing the three production parties from Arab countries participating in the conference.

In his speech, Minister Al-Zawari emphasized the contents of the report presented by Mr. Fayez Al-Mutairi, stressing the need for structural reform and reducing dependence on traditional sectors. He highlighted the importance of expanding the production base through investment in technology, innovation, and entrepreneurship, as well as the development of human capital. He underscored the significance of public-private partnership in supporting economic transitions and the role of social dialogue among the production parties to ensure a fair and sustainable transition toward promising economies.

He stated, “No achievement can be realized without effective coordination and integration among the three production parties in our Arab countries. Governments are responsible for establishing supportive policies and providing an enabling legislative environment. Employers contribute through investment and job creation, while workers are the cornerstone of development through skill enhancement and productivity in line with modern labor market demands.”

Minister Al-Zawari called for the formulation of a clear roadmap to support a fair and sustainable economic transformation in the Arab region, based on a shared commitment and consensus among the production parties, in line with the forward-looking visions and practical proposals presented by the Director-General to support economic diversification pathways in the Arab world.

On the Palestinian issue and the destruction faced by the Palestinian people, Minister Al-Zawari stated: “The Palestinian cause remains the central issue in the hearts of all Arabs. In the Republic of Yemen, we affirm our full support for the resilience of the Palestinian people in reclaiming their full rights. We oppose all displacement plans and attempts to erase this cause, and we condemn the ongoing barbaric escalation by the occupation authorities against the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip.”

He paid tribute to the steadfast and resilient Palestinian people in the face of genocidal crimes and demanded an immediate end to the aggression and the lifting of the unjust blockade.

He concluded by thanking the Arab Labor Organization, under the leadership of its Director-General Mr. Fayez Al-Mutairi, for its sincere efforts in prioritizing the Palestinian cause, highlighting the suffering of Palestinian workers, contributing to solutions for employment and social development in Palestine despite the challenges imposed by the occupation, and its continuous efforts to support Palestinian workers and people and defend the cause in Arab and international forums.

He also extended his thanks and appreciation to everyone who contributed to the preparation and organization of this session, expressing his hopes for its full success and for achieving the goals desired by every Arab citizen.

During the conference, Minister Al-Zawari was honored by the Arab Labor Organization in recognition of his outstanding contributions and sincere efforts in addressing labor issues and advancing development and production in the Arab world.

Speech of His Excellency the President of the Conference

At the Opening Session of the 51st Session of the Arab Labor Conference

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

Representative of His Excellency President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi,

President of the Arab Republic of Egypt – Patron of the Conference.

His Excellency Mr. Mohamed Gebran – Minister of Labor.

His Excellency Mr. Ahmed Aboul Gheit –

Secretary-General of the League of Arab States.

His Excellency Mr. Mohamed Al-Jaitan –

Vice Chairman of the Board of the Arab Labor Organization.

His Excellency Mr. Fayez Ali Al-Mutairi –

Director-General of the Arab Labor Organization.

Honorable Ministers,

Excellencies, Ambassadors, and Heads of Diplomatic Missions,

Distinguished members of government delegations, employers’ and workers’ organizations,

Observers and esteemed guests,

Ladies and gentlemen present...

Peace, mercy, and blessings of Allah be upon you,

Today, we meet in the land of Egypt – cradle of Arabism, the land of heritage and history – to inaugurate the 51st Session of the Arab Labor Conference.

It is my pleasure, on behalf of myself and the delegation of the Republic of Yemen, to express our sincere gratitude and appreciation to His Excellency President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, President of the Arab Republic of Egypt, for his kind patronage of this esteemed conference, and to the Egyptian government for hosting the headquarters of the Arab Labor Organization in Cairo and providing all forms of support to ensure its continued success.

I would also like to express my pride in and appreciation for the pioneering role Egypt plays in promoting joint Arab action. Egypt has always been and will remain a stronghold for our Arab nations.

I extend a warm welcome to their Excellencies, distinguished guests, and ladies and gentlemen – heads and members of the delegations representing the three production parties in the Arab countries participating in our conference.

I would also like to extend my sincere appreciation to His Excellency Mr. Fayez Ali Al-Mutairi, Director-General of the Arab Labor Organization, for his commendable efforts in leading our organization.

This year marks a historic milestone for our conference as we celebrate sixty years since the founding of this distinguished organization—sixty years of achievements, sixty years of honorable Arab stances, and sixty years of dedicated work. Together, we have sown and now reap the fruits of those years.

One such fruit we gather today is the honoring of the eighth group of Arab labor pioneers, who have contributed through their efforts to the development of work and production fields in the Arab world. This honor is a recognition of their limitless dedication and firm commitment to promoting joint Arab labor.

Ladies and gentlemen,

I greatly value the Director-General’s choice of this year’s report theme: “Economic Diversification as a Path to Development: Promising Economies in Arab Countries”, which highlights the importance of economic diversification in light of rapid economic changes, digital transformation, technological revolutions, and changing production patterns. Now more than ever, economic diversification in Arab countries is essential to ensure sustainability and competitiveness.

The report emphasizes the need for structural reform, reducing reliance on traditional sectors, and expanding the production base through investment in technology, innovation, and entrepreneurship. It also underlines the importance of developing human capital and the critical role of public-private partnerships in supporting economic transitions. Furthermore, it stresses the role of social dialogue among production parties to ensure a fair and sustainable transition toward promising economies.

What the report aspires to achieve supports policymakers across Arab nations in making significant leaps toward true economic diversification, helping to create new job opportunities and strengthening Arab economies against global fluctuations.

No achievement can be realized without effective coordination and integration among the three production parties in our Arab countries. Governments are responsible for setting supportive policies and creating an encouraging legislative environment. Employers invest and create job opportunities, while workers are the cornerstone of the development process through skills enhancement and productivity improvement aligned with modern labor market demands.

I reiterate my thanks to the Director-General for his forward-looking vision and practical proposals that support economic diversification in our Arab countries, focusing on promising economies that can play a key role in diversifying income sources and driving economic growth.

The proposed declaration of principles on “Promoting Economic Diversification and Transition Toward Promising Economies” is among the most important outcomes of this report. It requires consensus and joint commitment from the three production parties to formulate a clear roadmap supporting a just and sustainable economic transformation in the Arab region.

We will also discuss a number of vital issues and important agenda items that have a direct impact on labor markets and workers’ issues in the Arab world. Among the most notable are:

The draft Arab Strategy for Entrepreneurship,

The topic of inclusive social policies and their role in poverty reduction and promoting economic inclusion—covering mechanisms and measures of social policy, demographic and social indicators, the state of social protection systems in Arab countries, and proposed measures to develop these systems.

We will also address the topic of “Economic Clusters as a Strategic Approach to Achieving Sustainable Development”, which explores the concept of economic clusters and their key components. It analyzes their current status in Arab countries in terms of geographic and sectoral distribution, discusses their impact on sustainable development, the challenges and future prospects for their development, and focuses on the role of the three production parties in advancing Arab economic clusters.

Ladies and gentlemen,

The Palestinian cause remains at the heart of all Arabs. In the Republic of Yemen, we reaffirm our full support for the steadfastness of the Palestinian people in reclaiming their full rights. We stand firmly against displacement plans and attempts to erase this cause. We condemn the brutal escalation by the occupying authorities against the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip.

We stand in reverence and admiration for this resilient and steadfast people in the face of the genocide being committed against them. We demand an immediate end to this aggression and the lifting of the unjust blockade.

I also express my sincere thanks and appreciation to the Arab Labor Organization, under the leadership of its Director-General, His Excellency Mr. Fayez Al-Mutairi, for its sincere efforts in prioritizing the Palestinian cause, highlighting the suffering of Palestinian workers, and contributing to finding solutions that support employment and social development in Palestine despite the challenges imposed by the occupying authorities. We also commend its ongoing efforts to support Palestinian workers and people and to defend the Palestinian cause in Arab and international forums.

In conclusion, we thank everyone who contributed to the preparation, planning, and organization of this session. I wish it every success and hope it achieves the goals that every Arab citizen aspires to.

May Allah guide you and bless your efforts.

Peace, mercy, and blessings of Allah be upon you.