Geopolitical “instability” thrusts challenges into Mideast region – official

Rising geopolitical "instability" has triggered greater challenges across the wider Middle East region, Arab Fund for Economic and Social Development (AFES) chief Bader Al-Saad said on Monday. The slow progress in achieving development goals in the region has caused substantial gaps in technology, climate resilience, water and food security, in addition to institutional development, the official told a gathering bringing together regional institutions to discuss the progress of sustainable development goals. Addressing the two-day Arab-DAC Dialogue on Development, he cited Sudan, Syria and Yemen as cases in point, saying unrest there has led to major obstacles that have hindered private sector-led growth, which has resulted in limited job creation and subsequent halt in national development goals. In his speech, the chief of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development Carsten Staur said the talks come are significant in the sense that it offers participants the chance to exchange information and knowhow, particularly when it comes to sustained development plans and objectives. The acting chief of Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development Waleed Al-Bahar said the gathering allows the parties involved to benefit from their respective experiences in dealing with existential challenges, helping them keep those hardships at bay through the exchange of information and views on the matter. The talks come ahead of forthcoming international events, including the United Nations Climate Change Conference and the Global Development Finance Conference, all of which will prove instrumental in bringing development goals to fruition, he added. Source: Kuwait News Agency