RIYADH: The Kingdom is hosting a meeting of the Arab Ministers of Social Affairs Council and the Conference for the Management of Social Transformation Program for Social Affairs’ Arab Ministers. The event was launched on Monday in Riyadh and continues until Dec. 23. Ahmed Al-Rajhi, Saudi Arabia’s minister of human resources and social development, inaugurated the conference and forum activities. The event brought together ministerial councils and key senior officials to discuss how to recover from COVID-19 and support Arab efforts to implement a sustainable development plan. This year’s ministerial meeting is being held under the Kingdom’s chairmanship with the participation of Arab ministers of social affairs, UN officials, heads of Arab organizations, and leaders of specialist health, youth and sports bodies.  HIGH LIGHT This year’s ministerial meeting is being held under the Kingdom’s chairmanship with the participation of Arab ministers of social affairs, UN officials, heads of Arab organizations, and leaders of specialist health, youth and sports bodies.  The meetings discussed important issues, including COVID-19 and the efforts made by the Kingdom to fight it.  They highlighted the role of Saudi Arabia in aspects of social protection, such as the eradication of poverty in Arab countries, and the rights of disabled people and the elderly in the 2030 agenda for sustainable development. The meetings also shed light on future work in social and human sciences at the League of Arab States and UNESCO to support recovery in the region. The forum will conclude with a declaration on the commitment to social measures and policies to achieve comprehensive recovery in the Arab region and to support vulnerable and fragile groups during pandemics and crises. The meeting was held virtually last year due to COVID-19, with the UAE chairing the event, and focused on the social and humanitarian repercussions of the pandemic.