His Majesty King Abdullah on Sunday voiced support for the Young Arab Leaders in their efforts to build better ties with their peers across the world.

In his opening remarks at the two-day second Annual Forum of Young Arab Leaders, King Abdullah said, "One of the most important activities undertaken by the organization is building bridges of trust among young Arab leaders and their counterparts in Asia, Europe and America." Such a mission can only be accomplished through "deep-rooted dialogue and enhanced cooperation tools," the King said, adding that "this is a vital pursuit and it is necessary to continue with it so that it engages the largest possible sector of the Arab youth.

"This initiative and others are of utmost importance, and I am personally ready to lend every support possible to them, whether at the Arab or international level," King Abdullah, a member of the YAL board, told hundreds of young Arab leaders representing 15 countries, who were joined at the opening ceremony by visiting Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

In his speech, Erdogan highlighted the fact that Turkey and the Arab countries share similar challenges.

"I believe that today, our countries are coming to the forefront as elements of stability, security and prosperity in the Middle East region," he said. But addressing problems such as international terrorism, weapons proliferation, illegal immigration and organized crime, he said, requires a new approach to problem solving.

"Our world has entered a new phase where old parameters have changed. We can no longer address today's problems by those old parameters." Therefore, he said, "it becomes all the more important for us to develop cooperation and solidarity with the Arab world."

The YAL forum seeks to enhance and develop young Arab leaders' capacity to identify and address critical issues confronting the Arab world today, especially those related to education, leadership and economic development.