World Economic Forum on the Middle East and North Africa Creating a Regional Framework for Prosperity and Peace Through Public-Private Cooperation
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Regional Agenda World Economic Forum on the Middle East and North Africa Creating a Regional Framework for Prosperity and Peace through Public-Private Cooperation Dead Sea, Jordan 21-23 May 2015 Contents Preface 3 Preface Four years ago, the Arab Spring also an integral part of the agenda, brought a new sense of optimism to the explored at several working groups and 5 The Meeting in Numbers Middle East and North Africa (MENA). sessions as well as the closing plenary. 6 Dead Sea Highlights The region is still undergoing political, economic and social transformations, The dynamic discussions and 8 Transforming Industry and but one clear message emerged at the dialogues focused in particular on Competitiveness World Economic Forum on the Middle the advancement of youth, which 14 Transforming Employment and East and North Africa: despite regional was considered critical for the long- Entrepreneurship turmoil, MENA needs to continue term success of efforts to counter pushing reforms and initiatives to boost marginalization and radicalization. 20 Transforming Governance and productivity, create jobs and deepen Institutions economic integration. Another key focus was the policy reform 26 Transforming Geo-economics momentum in many countries, including and Geopolitics At this decisive time for the region Jordan, Egypt, Tunisia and Morocco, and the new strategic context, more along with the attendant infrastructure, 33 Acknowledgements Miroslav Dusek than 1,000 leaders from government, energy and investment partnerships 34 Digital Update Senior Director business and civil society, from 58 with the Gulf Cooperation Council Head of Middle East and countries, gathered in Jordan for the countries and international financial 36 Upcoming Meetings North Africa meeting, with the full support and institutions. Participants examined how World Economic Forum presence of Their Majesties King these national developments can jump- Abdullah II and Queen Rania Al Abdullah. start growth and foster job creation and This year’s event marks the Forum’s ninth entrepreneurship, and the role of the meeting in Jordan and the 16th meeting private sector. in the region, and participants included six heads of state or government and To help understand these trends and over 80 public figures. linkages, the programme in Jordan was based specifically on a transformation Given MENA’s double challenge of map for the region, built around four security and macroeconomic uncertainty, pillars: Industry and Competitiveness; the meeting convened under the theme, Employment and Entrepreneurship; Creating a Regional Framework for Governance and Institutions; and Geo- Prosperity and Peace through Public- economics and Geopolitics. Private Cooperation. Participants discussed economic and geopolitical The meeting’s five Co-Chairs reflected challenges, from the crises in Iraq, Syria, the best of leadership from different Libya and Yemen, to the threat of ISIS sectors gathered in Jordan and – and the work towards building a new highlighted the importance of enlarging comprehensive and forward-looking the dialogue across stakeholder groups, vision for the region. sharing their insights and perspectives with participants on topics that ranged World Economic Forum Reflecting the Forum’s status as an from governance to urbanization and 91-93 route de la Capite CH-1223 Cologny/Geneva international institution for public- technology. Switzerland private cooperation, the meeting also Tel.: +41 (0)22 869 1212 Fax: +41 (0)22 786 2744 integrated the ongoing, impact-oriented The World Economic Forum is grateful Email: [email protected] initiatives, such as the New Vision for to its members and communities for www.weforum.org Arab Employment, Arab Economies their commitment to and dynamic World Economic Forum® in Transition and the Global Strategic participation in the World Economic Infrastructure Initiative. The countering Forum on the Middle East and North © 2015 – All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or of violent extremism and the plight of Africa. We look forward very much to Transmitted in any form or by any means, including refugees and internally displaced people welcoming you to our next gathering in Photocopying and recording, or by any information in several countries of the region were the region in spring 2016. Storage and retrieval system. REF 270515 Creating a Regional Framework for Prosperity and Peace through Public-Private Cooperation 3 Co-Chairs The Meeting in Numbers Omar K. Alghanim Chief Executive Officer Alghanim Industries Kuwait 1,000+ Gordon Brown Participants Chair World Economic Forum Global Strategic 30+ Infrastructure Initiative Official sessions UN Special Envoy for Global Education Prime Minister of the United Kingdom (2007-2010) Suma Chakrabarti President European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) London 80 Government 200 Bodour Al Qasimi figures 50 Reporting Chairperson press Sharjah Investment and Development Global Shapers Authority (Shurooq) United Arab Emirates John Rice Vice-Chairman GE Hong Kong SAR 58 Countries 600 Business leaders 4 World Economic Forum on the Middle East and North Africa Creating a Regional Framework for Prosperity and Peace through Public-Private Cooperation 5 Dead Sea Highlights For session highlights, videos and meeting-related documents, plus Forum insights, visit Dead Sea Highlights https://toplink.weforum.org/ Social entrepreneurs Jobless youth at New initiative to support Platform for addressing honoured in Jordan top of RBC agenda Syria’s refugee children violent extremism Three outstanding social entrepreneurs from the Middle East The World Economic Forum’s Regional Business Council (RBC) Since the start of the Syrian civil war in 2011, hundreds of In private meetings and a plenary session (pictured above) and North Africa region have been recognized by the Schwab for the Middle East and North Africa, meeting in a series of thousands of refugees – many of them children – have fled to at the World Economic Forum on the Middle East and North Foundation as winners of the 2015 Social Entrepreneur of the private sessions, launched a new phase of its New Vision for neighbouring Jordan seeking shelter, water and food. To help Africa (MENA), the World Economic Forum conducted a special Year Award for their work in health, education, employment, Arab Employment Initiative. The initiative aims to invest in the meet the humanitarian needs of these refugees, Table For Two, programme on Addressing Violent Extremism. These discussions gender and finance. The honourees are Amina Slaoui (Groupe continuous learning and training of the region’s youth, through a non-profit committed to simultaneously tackling malnutrition are part of several dialogues around the world on this issue, which AMN), for her work on integrating disabled people into collaborations between business, educational institutions, civil and obesity, launched a fundraising drive to support the World participants stressed is not only a problem for the MENA region Moroccan society; Maysoun Odeh Gangat (NISAA Radio society and governments to foster job-readiness and close the Food Programme’s school meals initiative for 16,000 Syrian but is also a global challenge. Broadcasting Company), for producing the first Palestinian growing skills gap. children in the Al Zaatari and Azraq refugee camps in Jordan. women’s radio station; and Pierre Issa (Arc en Ciel), for The initiative has already received $150,000 initial funding from The stakeholder approach is essential. “There is an increasing providing social and financial services to vulnerable and Nine founding partners from across the region, including Abdul the Tamer Group and is looking to build other partnerships demand for joint responses,” Espen Barth Eide, Managing Director marginalized communities in Lebanon. Latif Jameel, Alghanim Industries, Consolidated Contractors throughout the region. and Member of the Managing Board, World Economic Forum, Company (CCC), Crescent Enterprises, Crescent Petroleum, said. “We believe this is something that has to be dealt with not Since its inception, the Schwab Foundation for Social Jumeirah Group, Olayan Financing Company, VPS Healthcare Table For Two works by providing meals on “both sides of just by governments but also by businesses and NGOs alike.” Entrepreneurship has been identifying the world’s leading social and Zain Group, have committed to scaling their corporate the table” – people in partnering restaurants and corporate entrepreneurs and engaging this community of 320 award initiatives, or creating wholly new initiatives, aimed at closing dining halls pay for healthy meals which, in turn, fund nutritious The difficulty is that action to counter violent extremism is needed winners in advancing social innovation in collaboration with the skills gap in the region. Collectively, these initiatives will offer school meals for communities in need. The programme is immediately, while long-term solutions are also required. “A corporate, governmental and academic stakeholders. Schwab skilling opportunities to 49,000 people. These commitments meet designed to increase school enrolment and attendance by military victory will not be sufficient,” said Saleh Muhammed Al Foundation Social Entrepreneurs are fully integrated into the nearly 50% of the RBC’s target of skilling 100,000 young people providing children in these schools with nutritious, high-energy Mutlaq, Deputy Prime Minister of Iraq. “We also need to have events and initiatives