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Oman chairs annual meeting of Arab Planning Institute's Board of Trustees

Oman chairs annual meeting of Arab Planning Institute's Board of Trustees

Times of Oman30-06-2025
Tripoli: The annual meeting of the Board of Trustees of the Arab Planning Institute (API) was held in Tripoli, Libya, under the chairmanship of Dr. Said Mohammed Al Saqri, Minister of Economy.
The meeting discussed approaches for implementing the Institute's 2025-2030 strategy approved at the API's meeting held in Kuwait in January 2025. Kuwait meeting focused on supporting efforts to promote sustainable development in Arab countries.
Monday's meeting laid emphasis on ways to launch the second phase of a development index titled "Government Spending Efficiency Index in Arab Countries". The index aims to enhance transparency and efficiency in the management of government resources.
The meeting was held in pursuance of the institute's expansion of its training activities. The API annually organises more than 25 virtual training sessions on relevant topics like decentralization, local development policies, digital transition, the management of small and medium enterprise (SMEs) and sustainable and 'green growth' (environment-based economic development).
On the sidelines of the meeting, Dr. Said bin Mohammed Al Saqri conferred with two Libyan ministers: Mohammed Al Zaidani, Minister of Planning, and Mohammed Al Huweij, Minister of Economy and Trade. The meeting stressed the importance of activating the provisions of the Omani-Libyan Joint Committee and a scheme for private sector cooperation between Oman and Libya, with a view to investing in the reconstruction of Libya.
The two sides also discussed ways of boosting economic cooperation and exchanging expertise in the fields of planning and sustainable development.
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