The General Finance of the Arab States is a strategic platform to enhance Arab financial and economic integration

His Highness Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, First Deputy Governor of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, stressed that the ninth session of the General Finance Forum for Arab States is a strategic platform to enhance financial and economic integration between Arab countries, stressing the importance of developing financial policies Flexible responds to global economic transformations and supports stability and sustainable growth.

His Highness pointed out that the establishment of modern financial systems requires an integrated approach that includes improving the efficiency of spending, diversifying revenue sources, and taking advantage of advanced financial technologies, including digitization and artificial intelligence, to enhance transparency and financial sustainability, stressing that regional cooperation is a basic pillar for developing innovative financial policies Creating future challenges and enhancing the elasticity of Arab economies.

His Highness added: “The forum axes and its outputs contribute to formulating future financial visions that support development strategies,” calling on His Highness to build on these dialogues during the World Summit of Governments 2025, which provides an important opportunity to continue the discussion on the latest global financial and economic trends, and to enhance international cooperation in developing More sustainable and flexible financial systems.

Today, the Ministry of Finance concluded the work of the ninth session of the General Finance of the Arab States, which was organized in cooperation with the Arab Monetary Fund and the International Monetary Fund, on the preliminary day of the World Government Summit 2025, which will be held during the period from 11 to 13 February in Dubai, in the presence of Mohammed bin Hadi Al -Husseini, Minister of State for Financial Affairs, Crystalina Georgiva, Director General of the International Monetary Fund, Dr. Fahd bin Muhammad Al Turki, Director General and Chairman of the Arab Monetary Fund, and with the participation of Finance Ministers and Central Banks Governors in Arab countries, along with a group of experts and senior officials and specialists from Regional and international financial institutions.

Public Finance Flexibility
The forum was held under the title “Public Finance Flexibility in a World of Uncertainty: Achieving a balance between Development Requirements, Climate Work and Debt Sustainability”, as it witnessed extensive discussions on vital economic issues that concern Arab and global economies, including the developments of the macroeconomic economy, and public financial policies to face debt pressures, And enhance the ability to adapt to climate change, as well as redesign tax systems to keep pace with major economic transformations.

A motivational environment
In his opening speech to the work of the forum, Muhammad bin Hadi Al -Husseini stressed the importance of adopting financial strategies that enhance sustainable growth and support economic development in the Arab countries.

He pointed out that the current stage requires intensifying efforts to keep pace with global economic transformations, by enhancing the efficiency of spending, and harnessing modern technologies to develop financial and tax systems and policies.

Al -Husseini explained that the UAE has adopted an integrated approach to enhancing financial sustainability, by developing financial legislation, launching treasury bonds and instruments, and expanding the investment base, in a way that contributes to achieving an economic balance that supports future development aspirations, and stressed the importance of the role of the private sector in advancing the growth wheel The economist, stressing the need to provide a stimulating investment environment, which enhances innovation and opens new horizons for entrepreneurs and national companies.

Exchange of experiences
Al -Husseini stressed that the development of financial systems in Arab countries should be part of a broader vision based on benefiting from digital transformations and artificial intelligence to enhance efficiency and transparency, pointing to the importance of regional and international cooperation in designing financial policies, in a way that contributes to achieving sustainable economic stability, which enhances the ability Countries to keep pace with global economic changes.

At the end of his speech, he called on the participants to take advantage of the discussions and dialogues provided by the forum, stressing that the exchange of experiences and visions contributes to developing more integrated and flexible financial policies. He also called on the participating delegations to attend the World Summit of Governments 2025, which provides a strategic platform to anticipate the future of government work and enhance cooperation between various sectors to achieve sustainable development.

– Interesting partnership
In turn, Crystalina Georgiviva said: “The International Monetary Fund has established a strong and fruitful partnership with the countries of the Arab world,” stressing that this partnership is today more important than ever, in light of the deep transformations that the world is witnessing at the international and regional levels, and in front of the Arab world’s countries an opportunity A precious investment of financial policies effectively to support economic transformation, stimulate growth, and improve the standard of living for its citizens.

For his part, Dr. Fahd bin Muhammad Al -Turki said: “The Public Finance Forum represents a pivotal platform to enhance the flexibility of financial policies in the Arab countries, and within the framework of the new Arab Monetary Fund’s strategy, we look forward to being an intellectual partner that provides the support and advice necessary to support the efforts of the specialized economic and financial authorities in the Arab countries In order to adopt policies that enhance stability and opportunities for comprehensive and sustainable growth.

-4 dialogue sessions
During four dialogue sessions, the forum witnessed a wide participation of experts and specialists, as the first session was chaired The title “developments of the macroeconomic economy and its repercussions on public finances”, a glimpse of the developments of the current macroeconomic economy at the regional and international levels, and what many of the region’s economies suffered from shocks that include conflicts and climate disasters, which has a clear impact on the weak prospects of economic growth, as well as highlighting On the importance of policy makers on enhancing economic growth and increasing economies, while ensuring the sustainability of public finances and maintaining low inflation rates.

Design public financial policies
The second session, entitled “Options for Designing Public Finance Policies to face the pressures of the growing debt”, was chaired by Sheikh Salman bin Khalifa Al Khalifa, Minister of Finance and National Economy in the Kingdom of Bahrain, in which Vetor Gasbar, Director of Public Financial Affairs Department at the International Monetary Fund, spoke, Jerumin Zaitlmire, Director of the Bruigel Center (European Research Center specializing in economic sciences), and the session focused on the challenges imposed by high debts, the large budget deficit and high interest payments, and reviewed strategies to deal with these pressures effectively.
Climate

As for the third session, it was entitled “Promoting financial policies to support the ability to adapt to climate change”, as it was chaired by Mohamed Abdullah Al -Jadaan, Minister of Finance in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, in which Ammar Bhazaria spoke from the Sustainable Development Center, the Brookings Institute, and His Excellency Grace Fu, Minister of Sustainability and Environment in Singapore, the session discussed the great economic cost imposed by climate change on the region, and the importance of strengthening financial policies to confront these challenges to ensure economic adaptation.

– Enhancing tax systems efficiency
While the fourth session was entitled “Technician Transformations: Re -Design Tax Systems to keep pace with the major structural economic transformations”, in which Catherine Bayer, Deputy Director of Financial Affairs at the International Monetary Fund, and Ajay Seth, Secretary of Economic Affairs in the Ministry of Finance in India, spoke, and reviewed This session is the need to renew and develop tax systems in the Arab region, in line with major structural transformations and ensures the flexibility of tax systems to meet future needs, as well as discussing the pivotal role of artificial intelligence in enhancing the efficiency and effectiveness of tax systems.
The forum concluded its work with the ministerial round table meeting, which included finance ministers in the Arab countries, where the importance of enhancing cooperation between Arab countries was emphasized to face common challenges, and work to develop sustainable and flexible financial policies capable of enhancing economic stability in the region.

It is noteworthy that the Global Summit of Governments 2025 is witnessing a record international participation by hosting more than 30 heads of state and government, 140 government delegations and more than 80 international and regional organizations, and includes 21 global forums looking at major global future trends and transformations in more than 200 major dialogue and interactive sessions, in which he speaks more From 300 international personalities of presidents, ministers, experts, thinkers and decision makers, in addition to holding more than 30 round tables and ministerial meeting, with the participation of more than 400 ministers, while the summit issued 30 strategic reports in cooperation with international knowledge partners.