Amman, June 25 (Petra) – Minister of Social Development Wafaa Bani Mustafa held several high-level meetings on Wednesday on the sidelines of the 16th Session of the Committee on Social Development and the 4th Arab Forum in Algeria, focusing on enhancing joint efforts in social welfare, economic empowerment, and anti-poverty strategies.

During her meeting with Brazil’s Minister of Social Development and Fight against Hunger, Wellington Dias, Bani Mustafa highlighted Jordan’s initiatives in economic empowerment and support for small-scale income-generating projects targeting vulnerable families. She stressed the importance of these initiatives in boosting productivity and improving livelihoods, particularly through expanding the care economy and promoting entrepreneurship.

She also underscored the significance of the Global Alliance Against Hunger and Poverty, launched last year on Brazil’s initiative and joined by Jordan, as a vital platform for coordinating global efforts to eradicate hunger and poverty and enhance human dignity in line with the Sustainable Development Goals.

Bani Mustafa elaborated on Jordan’s efforts in establishing the Arab Center for Social Policies and the Eradication of Multidimensional Poverty, which the Kingdom hosts in implementation of a resolution by the Council of Arab Ministers of Social Affairs. The center aims to build technical capacities across the Arab world in poverty eradication, develop effective social policy strategies, and strengthen national responses to poverty-related challenges.

Minister Dias welcomed future cooperation and expressed Brazil’s readiness to provide technical support for the center and its programs.

Separately, Bani Mustafa met with Algeria’s Minister of National Solidarity, Family and Women's Affairs, Kaoutar Krikou, reaffirming the strong bilateral ties and the importance of continued cooperation on shared social development programs. She briefed her counterpart on Jordan’s services for key populations, including persons with disabilities, the elderly, and children in need of care and protection.

Bani Mustafa expressed appreciation for Algeria’s efforts in hosting the current session of the social development committee and emphasized the forum’s relevance in enhancing development work in participating countries. Minister Krikou praised the depth of Jordanian-Algerian relations and called for enhanced dialogue and exchange of best practices in the field of social protection.

Bani Mustafa also met with Somalia’s Minister of Labor and Social Affairs, Yusuf Mohamed Adan, to discuss avenues for cooperation in social welfare. She spoke about Jordan’s recently updated National Social Protection Strategy, launched under royal patronage, which aims to expand inclusion of vulnerable populations and develop responsive mechanisms for crisis and shock management aligned with national modernization tracks.

The ministers also discussed preparations for the upcoming session of the Council of Arab Ministers of Social Affairs to be held later this year in Amman. Bani Mustafa invited Somalia to sign the statute of the Arab Center for Social Policies and the Eradication of Multidimensional Poverty.

Minister Adan praised Jordan’s social service programs and expressed interest in closer coordination and experience-sharing.

In another meeting, Bani Mustafa met with Libya’s Minister of Social Affairs, Wafaa Abu Bakr Al-Kilani, to explore joint cooperation in various social sectors. The discussion covered the Arab center in Jordan, and Bani Mustafa encouraged Libya to support the center’s activities and sign its founding statute, noting its positive potential for enhancing development across Arab countries.

Minister Al-Kilani commended the strong relations between Jordan and Libya and emphasized the importance of continued collaboration and leveraging Jordan’s experience in social development.

//Petra// AF

25/06/2025 23:30:07