Ammon News - Minister of Social Development Wafa Bani Mustafa and United Nations Under-Secretary-General and Executive Secretary of the UN Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA) Rania Al-Mashat discussed ways to expand cooperation on social development programs.

During a meeting held at the ministry headquarters on Wednesday, Bani Mustafa highlighted the "strategic" partnership between the ministry and ESCWA in supporting programs targeting vulnerable groups and strengthening Jordan's social protection system in line with the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals.

The minister said deeper cooperation would support the Kingdom's development priorities, the Economic Modernization Vision and the National Social Protection Strategy (2025-2033).

Bani Mustafa reviewed progress in implementing joint initiatives on capacity building, technical support and knowledge exchange, calling for supporting the Arab Center for the Study of Social Policies, hosted by Jordan, to further regional cooperation and expertise sharing.

The two sides also discussed ways to strengthen cooperation to develop an "inclusive and sustainable" social protection system, with a focus on the economic and social empowerment of persons with disabilities and expanding their integration into society and the labor market, according to a ministry statement.

Additionally, discussions covered support for the Amman Declaration issued by the International-Arab High-Level Conference on implementing the outcomes of the Second World Summit for Social Development.

Talks tackled technical cooperation after Jordan's accession to the Global Alliance Against Hunger and Poverty, and support for the National Aid Fund's economic empowerment policy.

In turn, Al-Mashat urged continued cooperation between ESCWA and the Ministry of Social Development in implementing joint programs.

She expressed hope for expanding technical assistance, capacity-building efforts and coordination in the social sector to improve outcomes for targeted groups.

Petra