Amman, Dec. 7 (Petra) -- The Higher Population Council (HPC) took part in the seventh regular session of the Arab Council for Population and Development, held recently in Iraq and organized by the Iraqi Ministry of Planning in cooperation with the HPC’s Technical Secretariat at the Arab League.

According to a statement issued Sunday, ministers, deputies, secretaries-general of national population councils, and senior officials from Arab states attended the meeting, which aimed to enhance regional cooperation and exchange expertise on linking population policies with the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals.

The discussions focused on integrating demographic, economic, social, and environmental dimensions into development planning.

The session concluded with the adoption of recommendations, future directions, and practical decisions to improve population policies, pending submission to the Arab League’s Economic and Social Council as part of the joint Arab action framework.

Delivering Jordan’s address, Rania Abbadi, Assistant Secretary-General for Planning and Follow-up at the HPC, said the meeting was held amid a rapidly shifting Arab demographic landscape accompanied by regional challenges that have affected population trends and the trajectory of comprehensive development. She stressed the need for collective and informed action.

Abbadi noted that the Arab world’s population has surpassed half a billion and is projected to reach 591 million by 2035, presenting both challenges and opportunities, especially in services, resources, labor markets, and education.

She said Jordan, under the directives of His Majesty King Abdullah II, continues implementing comprehensive reforms focused on aligning education outcomes with labor-market needs, enhancing primary healthcare, particularly for mothers and children,meeting family-planning needs, influencing geographic population distribution, expanding social protection networks, and empowering women and youth in line with the Economic Modernization Vision 2033, which places investment in human capital at the core of sustainable development.

She added that Jordan seeks to convert demographic challenges into opportunities by linking population policies to the national economy, strengthening reproductive-health and family-planning programs, and modernizing data and civil-registration systems to ensure evidence-based policymaking.

Key decisions from the meeting included reaffirming the right to family planning as a pillar of sustainable development, designating "The Role of Youth and the Promotion of a Culture of Peace in Supporting Development" as the 2026 Arab Population and Development Day theme, preparing populations for AI-driven economies, approving the Population Excellence Award for the Arab region, and coordinating Arab positions for participation in the 59th session of the UN Commission on Population and Development in 2026.

//Petra// AO

07/12/2025 14:59:25