Social Development Minister participates in COSP18 session in New York
New York, June 12 (BNA): Osama bin Saleh Al Alawi, Minister of Social Development, participated in the eighteenth session of the Conference of States Parties to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (COSP18).
In his address, Minister Al Alawi emphasised that the Kingdom of Bahrain, under the leadership of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa and the support of His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister, places the empowerment of persons with disabilities at the centre of its development priorities. He emphasised Bahrain’s commitment to continuing initiatives that expand opportunities and promote the full inclusion of persons with disabilities in all areas of development.
The Minister highlighted Bahrain’s hosting of the forty-fourth session of the Council of Arab Ministers of Social Affairs, underscoring the Kingdom’s support for the Council’s efforts and its pivotal role in advancing the rights of persons with disabilities within the Arab framework. This aligns with the Second Arab Decade for Persons with Disabilities (2023–2032), which represents a significant regional milestone.
Minister Al Alawi noted that the empowerment of persons with disabilities is integral to Bahrain’s comprehensive national development, stressing the importance of ongoing international cooperation and unified efforts to achieve a more inclusive society where all individuals can contribute to development.
On the sidelines of the conference, the Minister held a series of bilateral meetings. He met with Dr. Amthal Al-Huwaila, Minister of Social Affairs and Family and Childhood Affairs of the State of Kuwait, where they reviewed the bilateral relations between Bahrain and Kuwait and discussed means to further enhance cooperation in social affairs and comprehensive development. The meeting also addressed the exchange of expertise in supporting and empowering persons with disabilities, in line with broader Gulf cooperation efforts.
The Minister held meetings with Dr Heba Hagrass, UN Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, and Bjørg Sandkjær, Assistant Secretary-General for Policy Coordination at the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs, to discuss enhancing cooperation in advancing the rights of persons with disabilities, developing inclusive policies, strengthening coordination between the United Nations and the Council of Arab Ministers of Social Affairs, and supporting joint initiatives in social policy development.
Additionally, the Minister met with Ambassador Majid Abdel Fattah, Permanent Observer of the League of Arab States to the United Nations, to discuss ways to improve joint Arab coordination in international forums, particularly on issues related to persons with disabilities.
Minister Al Alawi commended the significant role played by the League of Arab States’ mission in representing social and humanitarian issues at the United Nations, reaffirming Bahrain’s commitment to continued close cooperation with the League to unify positions on matters of shared Arab interest.
