DUBAI: In rapidly shifting geopolitical dynamics, the UAE continues to reinforce its role as a strategic ally for the World Economic Forum (WEF), the world’s biggest brainstorming knowledge network that aims to address the most pressing global challenges.
As Maroun Kairouz, Head of Regional Agenda for the Middle East and North Africa at WEF, told TRENDS MENA during the Annual meeting of the Global Future Councils (AMGFC) held in Dubai (October 15-17), the UAE has long been a trusted ally, serving as a unique intersection of the global dialogue.
Around 500 global leaders part of 30 Global Future Councils came together in Dubai to explore topics such as artificial intelligence, economic inequality, inclusive and sustainable growth, climate emergency, energy transition and geopolitical tensions as well as enforcing pathways for trust building and global collaboration.
“The UAE is first of all a country that has agile governance, is not beholden to short-termism, like many other countries and companies in the world today, but it takes a long-term strategic view, making it the ideal meeting place for what we call the world’s largest brainstorming event,” Kairouz said.
This year’s knowledge-share platform touched on a wide range of socio-economic challenges, from the ongoing humanitarian crises in the region to the technological tectonic shifts reshaping industries across the GCC. Asked about the WEF’s regional agenda in the face of the region’s turbulent geopolitical environment, Kairouz acknowledged the region’s “worrying situation”, by highlighting WEF’s role in fostering informal dialogues on a regional level aimed at containing conflicts and facilitating humanitarian access in hotspots. “No one has an interest in further escalation,” he stressed, pointing to the importance of preventing the ripple effects of the regional conflict. “Everyone will lose out if the war propagates further.”
Collaborative challenges
When asked about fostering trust between nations and industries with conflicting interests, Kairouz urged for a balance between realism and optimism. “We must be clear-eyed about real differences in (governing) concepts, that exist in the world today. But at the same time, we have to be optimistic enough and believe enough in the future that even while different countries may compete on some things, we still find areas where collaboration is possible,” he affirmed. He was quick to point out that inflation and climate change cannot be solved on a national level. In his words, despite the competitive nature of global parties, platforms for collaboration should exist, even in contentious areas like AI and sustainability.
How can policymakers and industry collaborate to accelerate sustainable solutions? In response, Kairouz stressed that collaboration should not be limited to government. “In the complex world we live in today, most problems require a whole of society’s effort. And that involves agile, efficient, responsive governments, but also business companies, thought leaders, many of whom are gathered here today, academics, and civil society,” he said. In taking the point further, he shared the example of the WEF’s Reskilling Revolution, a partnership between companies, governments and academic institutions, aiming to reskill and upskill 1 billion workers by 2030. “This is one clear example where you need certain programs,” he emphasized, explaining that it requires deployment by companies and workforce adaptation to the future that is in sync with today’s technological transformation.
Government-industry partnerships
In government/industry collaborative pathways, Kairouz spotlights the Leaders for a Sustainable MENA initiative, the region’s first cross-country collaboration on corporate climate action. This partnership between business and government leaders is working to set a decarbonization roadmap for the next two to three decades. “The (Middle East) region must double down on technology, as nature-based solutions are often more costly here than in Europe or North America,” he said.
Kairouz’s closing thoughts on his vision for the future? A unified regional vision that can inspire a positive outlook on the future and provide a positive alternative to the deprivation and violence that plague parts of the Middle East.