06-04-2025
Oman backs disability inclusion at World Disability Summit in Berlin
BERLIN: The Sultanate of Oman took part in the 2025 World Disability Summit in Berlin, Germany. The two-day summit aimed to promote the rights of persons with disabilities and integrate them into society, particularly in developing countries.
Maitha bint Saif al Mahrouqiyah, Ambassador of the Sultanate of Oman to the Federal Republic of Germany, headed Sultanate of Oman's delegation to the summit.
The summit seeks to bridge the gap between the inclusion of persons with disabilities and development cooperation, and to enhance the voice and participation of persons with disabilities in policymaking. It also focuses on the practical implementation of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
The summit featured numerous accompanying events, exhibitions and panel discussions that will address important topics such as the economic empowerment of persons with disabilities, the role of social security in this context, and the feasibility of its implementation in low- and middle-income countries.
The Sultanate of Oman's delegation participated in the high-level Arab-international event, organised by the General Secretariat of the League of Arab States in cooperation with the International Disability Alliance, the Arab Organization for Persons with Disabilities, and the Executive Office of the Council of Ministers of Labour and Social Affairs of the Gulf Cooperation Council, under the title 'Technology, Innovation and Entrepreneurship: Supporting Independent Living for Persons with Disabilities'.
The summit reviewed the role of the UN Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in supporting technology, innovation and entrepreneurship for persons with disabilities.
It is worth noting that the World Disability Summit was established in 2017 with the aim of bringing together relevant stakeholders at the global, regional and local levels who share the goals and vision of disability-inclusive development and humanitarian action.
The summit represents a mechanism that goes beyond a two-day summit held every three years; rather, it requires ongoing support from relevant stakeholders at the global level, and partnerships between member states and organisations of persons with disabilities. - ONA
