Highlights

The opening session of the high-level conference under the theme "Opportunities for all: Growth, employment and inclusion in the Arab world", took place on Tuesday, January 30, 2018 in Marrakech in the presence of the Head of Government, Mr. Sâadeddine EL OTHMANI; the Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund, Christine LAGARDE; the Director-General Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Arab Monetary Fund, Mr. Abdulrahman A. Al-HAMIDY and the Tunisian Head of Government, Mr. Youssef CHAHED.

Participants in this meeting address policies for sustainable and inclusive development, creating opportunities for all, and developing practical and tangible measures. Speakers also discussed the contribution of monetary technology to enhancing access to monetary services for youth, women and small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) projects, women's empowerment mechanisms and their participation in the labor market, ways in which social security networks can provide coverage to limited-income people, as well as the ways to address the challenges of youth unemployment, in addition to capacity development. Participants also discussed the ways in which governments can redirect their policies and budgets to support the private sector, strengthen integration, create development and trade infrastructure, improve transparency and accountability, and ensure adequate social security.

The meeting brings together policymakers, business leaders and civil society representatives from Arab countries to exchange ideas and experiences on how to create employment opportunities.