RIYADH: A meeting of an Arab League body later this month will mark a significant milestone in the organization’s history, a senior official has revealed.

Hani Al-Muqbil, chairman of the executive board of the Arab League Educational, Cultural, and Scientific Organization, highlighted the ALECSO Forum for Business and Partnerships taking place in the Tunisian capital on Jan. 28 and 29.

Established 53 years ago, he said the forum would be the first of its kind within ALECSO, run on lines similar to other regional and international organizations.

Al-Muqbil, also chairman of the supreme committee of the forum, noted that ALECSO aimed to redefine the organization’s role in the Arab and international arena by encouraging effective partnerships and implementing a new business model to achieve sustainable goals.

And he thanked the Saudi leadership and Prince Badr bin Abdullah bin Farhan, minister of culture and chairman of the Saudi National Committee for Education, Culture, and Science, for their ongoing support.

The ALECSO Forum for Business and Partnerships, an initiative spearheaded by Saudi Arabia and endorsed by ALECSO’s Executive Council, has evolved into a collaborative Arab endeavor following a meeting held in AlUla in January 2022.

“The Saudi initiative represented by the ALECSO Forum for Business and Partnerships is among numerous initiatives introduced during the Kingdom’s leadership of the organization’s Executive Council.

“These initiatives aim to enhance the Executive Council’s capabilities by providing it with novel responsibilities, valuable contributions, and appealing projects for all Arab member states, in collaboration with appropriate Arab partners,” Al-Muqbil said.

He praised the contributions made by the members of the forum’s supreme committee, consisting of nine Arab countries, throughout the seven-month preparation phase for the forum, in addition to the general management of the organization.

Several partnership agreements are expected to be signed between the organization and Arab governmental, private, and non-profit entities.