Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud is attending the third Arab Economic and Social Development Summit being held in Riyadh this week.

The Summit is being attended by heads of state and ministers of 21 Arab countries, and the agenda includes ways to promote investment flows, the development of sources of renewable energy in the next two decades, fulfilling the Millennium Development Goals before 2015 setting up youth fora in Arab states and fighting non communicable diseases.

Cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, cancer and chronic respiratory diseases will be highlighted among others. These have been identified as a significant burden on the economies and health systems of Arab states. The meeting is also expected to take up the recommendations of the Arab Private Sector Forum held in Riyadh last week.