The UAE took part in the joint meeting of the Arab Health and Environment Ministers' Council at the Cairo headquarters of the General Secretariat of the Arab League on Thursday.

The meeting was attended by Ahmed Aboul Gheit, Secretary-General of the Arab League. Abdul Rahman bin Mohammad Al Owais, Minister of Health and Prevention, led the UAE delegation to the event.

The meeting brings together health and environment ministers from Arab countries, along with representatives from the World Health Organisation, WHO, the Regional Centre for Environmental Health, the United Nations Environment Programme, UNEP, and the UNEP Regional Office for West Asia.

Aboul Gheit emphasised the concerted Arab efforts to promote health and environmental development as well as to reduce risks caused by environmental changes on human health, which can lead to big losses and high mortality rates.

He also stressed the need to prepare the Arab common strategy for Health and the Environment 2017-2030, while forming operational plans to enhance the health of Arab citizens and provide a safe social and economic environment for them.