The Arab Economic and Social Development Summit, which brought together leaders and delegations from different nations in the region, concluded in Beirut, Lebanon, yesterday.

Arab leaders agreed to a 29-item economic agenda in addition to encouraging the safe return of Syrian refugees to their homeland at the conclusion of the meeting, reported Al Jazeera.

His Highness the Amir participated in the opening session of Arab Economic and Social Development Summit today in Beirut. Thanks to the government and the people of Lebanon for the warm hospitality and welcome. pic.twitter.com/iIVwG5azKL

— محمد بن عبدالرحمن (@MBA_AlThani_) January 20, 2019

Earlier, HH The Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani had personally led the Qatari delegation to Beirut.

Sheikh Tamim and the accompanying delegation, who left the city yesterday, were seen off at Rafic Hariri International Airport by Lebanon’s State Minister for Presidential Affairs Pierre Raffoul and some senior officials, reported Qatar Tribune.

The 20 nations that took part in the summit issued a joint statement called the ‘Beirut Declaration’ on Sunday, calling for the establishment of an Arab free trade zone and the international community to support countries hosting refugees and displaced people.

Beirut summit: Arab leaders agree 29-item economic agenda https://t.co/0reKIIuF1u pic.twitter.com/1TlwsZNtir

— Al Jazeera News (@AJENews) January 20, 2019

Arab league Assistant General Secretary Hossam Zaki reminded the international and Arab donor communities to “help alleviate the suffering of refugees and displaced and to secure funding for developmental projects in host countries,” reported Gulf Times.

In his opening address, Lebanese President Michel Aoun called for the “safe return of displaced Syrians” saying the process should not be linked to a political solution in the war-torn country. 

The Beirut declaration of the Arab Economic and Social Development Summit expressed appreciation to the directives of HH the Amir for Qatar to contribute $50 million in the initiative of HH the Amir of Kuwait to create a fund to support technology and digital economy. #QNA

— Qatar News Agency (@QNAEnglish) January 20, 2019

Lebanon, which hosts hundreds of thousands of Syrian refugees, called for their return to Syria after President Bashar Al Assad regained control of most of the country. Other countries had insisted this discussion be linked to a political solution.

While Lebanon's Foreign Minister Gebran Bassil called for Syria’s return to the bloc, its secretary-general Ahmed Aboul Gheit said there was no agreement on the proposal yet, adding that it might be discussed during the Arab League summit that would take place in Tunisia in March. 

A vital contribution during Sunday's meeting was the launch of a $200m technology investment fund across the region by Kuwait’s foreign minister.

Sheikh Sabah Al Khalid Al Sabah said Kuwait would contribute $50m to the fund to allow “investment in the fields of technology and digital economy” which the private sector would take part in.

Following the announcement, Qatar’s finance minister Ali Sharif Al Emadi pledged the same amount in support of Kuwait’s initiative.

The League's Secretary-General Abul Gheit announced that the next Arab economic summit would be held in Mauritania’s capital Nouakchott in 2023, adding that the four-year break would provide time for the summit objectives to be achieved.