UAE Participates in the 11th Meeting of the Committee of GCC Undersecretaries of Social Affairs and Development

The United Arab Emirates has participated in the 11th meeting of the Committee of Undersecretaries of Development and Social Affairs in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), hosted by the State of Kuwait in September 2025 in line with the UAE’s commitment to Gulf unity and to advancing the region’s shared development agenda.
The 11th Meeting of the Committee of GCC Undersecretaries of Social Affairs and Development was chaired by H.E. Dr. Khaled Amer Al-Ajmi, Acting Undersecretary of Social Affairs in Kuwait, with the participation of Their Excellencies the Undersecretaries of Social Affairs and Development from the GCC member states. The meeting was also attended by H.E. Khaled Al-Sunaidi, Assistant Secretary-General for Economic and Development Affairs at the GCC General Secretariat.
H.E. Aisha Yousef, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Community Empowerment, affirmed that cooperation among Gulf partners is not simply a matter of choice, but a vital necessity for shaping a shared future. She highlighted the UAE’s unique journey in empowerment, which has focused on shifting “from support to empowerment, from short-term aid to sustainability, and from government-led initiatives to collaborative community partnerships.” H.E. also emphasized the increasingly critical role of the third sector as a key partner—alongside government and private entities—in driving sustainable development.
The Committee concluded with a set of key recommendations, including the adoption of the GCC Strategy for Combating Drugs (2025–2028), the follow-up on the implementation of resolutions from the 10th meeting of GCC Ministers of Development and Social Affairs, the approval of the Committee’s action plan, the joint volunteer action plan (2026–2030), and the joint charitable and humanitarian action plan (2025–2030).