The United Arab Emirates chaired the 49th session of the Arab Youth and Sports Ministers Council, held at the headquarters of the League of Arab States in Cairo, Egypt, from 11 to 13 January 2026, to explore opportunities for strengthening Arab cooperation in the vital sectors of youth and sports.
Youth and Sports Ministers from across the Arab world took part in the gathering, along with senior officials and representatives from the General Secretariat of the League of Arab States.
His Excellency Dr. Ahmad Belhoul Al Falasi, UAE Minister of Sports, presided over the Council, while the UAE delegation included H.E. Khalid Mohammed Al Nuaimi, Director of the Federal Youth Authority (FYA), and Rashid Ghanem Al Shamsi, FYA’s Director of Empowerment. The delegates actively participated in various technical and executive meetings, from the Youth, Sports, and Financial Committees to the meetings of the Treasury and Executive Bureau, in the lead-up to the Ministerial Meeting.
The sessions featured in-depth discussions covering a range of strategic projects and initiatives designed to support and empower Arab youth, foster growth in Arab sports, and strengthen the youth’s role in achieving sustainable development goals.
The meeting of the Sports Committee, in particular, addressed key topics such as developing sports infrastructure and supporting various forms of sport, notably community, school, and women’s sports, as well as e-sports. The meeting also discussed tactics for improving the hosting and organisation of joint Arab sporting events.
In closing, the Council underscored the critical importance of bolstering joint coordination and launching practical initiatives and programmes, in an effort to elevate the youth and sports sectors across the Arab world, meet Arab youth’s aspirations, and reinforce development pathways in Arab countries.
