In support of Arab-African cooperation, His Excellency Ambassador Mohannad Saleh Lajouzi, Assistant Secretary-General of the League of Arab States and Director-General of the Arab Fund for Technical Assistance to African Countries, held an extended working session with His Excellency Nasser Mazrui, Minister of Health of Zanzibar. The meeting took place on the sidelines of Ambassador Lajouzi's visit to the United Republic of Tanzania to oversee training courses for Tanzanian medical personnel.
At the outset, Ambassador Lajouzi conveyed the greetings of His Excellency Mr. Ahmed Aboul Gheit, Secretary-General of the League of Arab States, and conveyed the Secretary-General's keen interest in supporting and advancing Arab-African cooperation in all areas contributing to the development of African personnel.
The two sides discussed prospects for cooperation between the Fund and Zanzibar's health institutions, particularly in light of the challenges facing the local health system and the need to train and develop medical and technical staff. They specifically explored opportunities to support doctors, nurses, and health technicians in Zanzibar through training and professional qualification programmes aimed at enhancing efficiency and improving healthcare services for citizens.
The discussion took place in tandem with the opening of the new Yamkaw Yamjin Hospital in Zanzibar, one of the island's most prominent modern healthcare projects and a major step towards strengthening health infrastructure and expanding access to medical care.
Ambassador Lajouzi affirmed the Fund's readiness, within its available resources, to provide technical and training support for Zanzibar's medical personnel, underscoring the importance of building human capital as the cornerstone of an effective healthcare system. He added that the Fund would work, in coordination with its partners from specialised medical institutions, to provide training opportunities both inside and outside the country.
The meeting was attended by representatives of the Fund's partners, including Dr. Ahmed Ashraf Issa, President of the Egyptian-African Society for Cardiology and Research; Dr. Sherif El-Baghdadi, Professor of Cardiac Surgery at the National Heart Institute and member of the association; and Dr. Ghada Qazamel, President of the Friends of the Heart Institute Association. They all expressed their readiness to provide technical support and contribute to the transfer of expertise, particularly in the field of heart disease, through intensive workshops and training programmes.
Following the meeting, the visiting delegation toured Yamkaw Yamgeni Hospital, where they inspected the hospital's advanced equipment and medical facilities, which require specialised training for effective use. The attendees stressed the importance of training local personnel to operate this equipment and provide healthcare services that meet international standards.
The visit forms part of ongoing efforts to strengthen Arab-African cooperation and promote the principle of solidarity and integration among African countries in addressing health challenges, thereby enhancing societies' ability to achieve sustainable development goals in the health sector.
At the conclusion of the meeting, the Zanzibari Minister asked Ambassador Lajouzi to convey his greetings to His Excellency Mr. Aboul Gheit, Secretary-General of the League of Arab States, expressing his sincere appreciation for the visit, which reflects the League of Arab States' commitment to supporting Arab-African cooperation.
