CAIRO: Under the theme "Learning from the Future, the World Economic Forum (WEF) on the Middle East will open May 18 in Sharm El-Sheikh, bringing 13 heads of state as well as key political and business leaders together under one roof, organizers announced yesterday. Among those expected to attend the well-celebrated event are US President George W. Bush, President Hosni Mubarak, King Abdullah Ibn Al Hussein of Jordan, the UAE s Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. "With only a few weeks to go, the countdown to Sharm El-Sheikh has begun. It seems to me there has never been a more important time for the regional and international community to come together to try to 'learn from the future' while drawing on the important lessons of the past, said Minister of Trade and Industry Rachid Mohamed Rachid during a preliminary WEF press conference held Monday. "In our own way, we all have to address the impact of broader global challenges on our communities. Our success will directly affect the sort of world we leave our children. The meeting in Sharm El-Sheikh will have its impact on the region whether politically or economically, the Minister added. The Forum's agenda will focus on a series of futuristic scenarios that explore the impact of long-term global trends on the Middle East. As its theme suggests, the Forum will highlight actions that need to be taken today to meet the challenges and opportunities for the region in the next 20 years. It will also cover some of the latest "hot topics in today's headlines such as the global economic crisis, food prices, sovereign wealth funds, oil and renewable energy, political and economic stability in the Middle East, as well as the rise of Asian powers in emerging markets. Furthermore, the Forum will underscore trade and investment opportunities in the less known emerging economies of the region. More than 1,500 political and business leaders from 55 countries across the word will participate in this year's Forum including The Duke of York, Tony Blair, Middle East Quartet envoy, Amr Moussa, Secretary-General of the Arab League, Mohamed El Baradei, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency, Robert Zoellick, President of the World Bank, and Susan Schwab, US trade representative. Other prominent participants include First Lady Suzanne Mubarak, Prime Minister Ahmed Nazif, Finance Minister Youssuf Boutros-Ghali, Gamal Mubarak, Assistant Secretary-General of the National Democratic Party, Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Hamad Bin Jassim Bin Jabr Al Thani, and Kuwaiti Prime Minister Sheikh Nasser Mohammed Al Ahmad Al Sabah "The World Economic Forum on the Middle East has once again succeeded in bringing together the key global and regional leaders who can make a difference in the region and the world, said André Schneider, the WEF's managing director and chief operating officer. "The Forum's unique ability to convene leading figures from politics, business and civil society makes it a platform where decisions are taken that will affect the region and beyond. "We know that business leaders remain engaged in shaping the region's future; and alongside them, there is huge momentum from young people to imagine and try to construct a successful future for the Middle East. This is the place where the first steps on that journey can be taken; and that is why we choose [this year's] theme .to look forward rather than looking backward, he added. On the fringes of the WEF, Minister Rachid will be leading a series of trade-related discussions with Euro-Mediterranean trade ministers and World Trade Organization members. "Trade is a vital tool to bring stability and prosperity to our part of the world. It is an engine for growth and job creation, and the best way of forging long-term ties between countries, Rachid said in a press statement. "That is why, I am placing a great deal of emphasis during the [WEF] on promoting issues relating to Euro-Mediterranean agenda and the Doha Development Round. The Forum will also acknowledge and award a number of social entrepreneurs from Egypt and Jordan on efforts to tackle entrepreneurship and challenges that particularly face the youth and women in business.
