The Executive Bureau – Council of Ministers of Labour & Ministers of Social Affairs in GCC participated in the 19th Session of the Conference of States Parties to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (COSP19), held at the United Nations Headquarters in New York from 9 to 11 June 2026. The session coincided with the 20th anniversary of the adoption of the Convention.

The Executive Bureau was represented by Mr Mohammed Al-Ghaib, Director of Labour and Social Development, as part of the GCC participation, which included delegations from GCC member states and the Permanent Observer Mission of the GCC to the United Nations, headed by H.E. Ambassador Khalid Baomar.

During the conference, H.E. Ambassador Nancy Abdulla Jamal, Deputy Permanent Representative of the Kingdom of Bahrain to the United Nations in New York, delivered the joint GCC statement on behalf of the GCC member states, representing the Kingdom of Bahrain in its capacity as the current chair of the GCC. In her statement, she reaffirmed the GCC countries’ commitment to advancing the rights of persons with disabilities and supporting efforts to ensure their full inclusion and empowerment across all areas.

The conference also featured a number of GCC and Arab side events addressing integrated care and support systems, the economic empowerment of persons with disabilities, and the future of inclusion policies at the regional and international levels. The discussions also explored ways to further develop initiatives and partnerships supporting the rights of persons with disabilities.