The Economic and Social Council of the League of Arab States held its 118th ministerial session on Thursday under the chairmanship of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the Saudi Press Agency reported. Saudi Assistant Minister of Finance for Macro-Fiscal Policies and International Relations Eng. Abdullah bin Zaraah presided over the session at the League’s General Secretariat headquarters in Cairo, with representatives of member states participating. The meeting addressed several economic and social issues of common Arab interest as part of efforts to enhance cooperation among member states, support development, promote intra-Arab trade, and expand opportunities for regional integration and growth. In the Kingdom's statement, bin Zaraah affirmed that joint Arab economic and social action is a key pillar for strengthening collective capacity to address challenges and capitalize on opportunities. He stressed the importance of moving beyond coordination and the exchange of views toward implementation and tangible results by strengthening implementation and follow-up mechanisms, and linking decisions and initiatives to clear objectives and measurable indicators. He also called for enhanced coordination among institutions of joint Arab action and specialized Arab organizations, while directing resources and capabilities toward the highest-impact priorities. He also highlighted the Kingdom's national achievements, noting that the World Bank Group's World Development Report 2026 ranked the Kingdom among the world's top 10 countries in private investment in artificial intelligence and recognized its advanced position in the global AI landscape.
