Jordan Times
Tuesday, May 3, 2005
WEF to tackle key issues
facing Arab world
DUBAI (Petra) — Finance Minister Bassem Awadallah said on Monday that this
month's meeting of the World Economic Forum (WEF) at the Dead Sea will launch a
reform initiative for the Arab world comprising administrative, economic and
educational reforms.
At a press conference held in Dubai, Awadallah said this year's event, to run
from May 20-22, will include renowned experts who will present a vision of
reform at the WEF in cooperation with 20 Arab scholars in order to draft an Arab
agenda for reforms.
Reiterating His Majesty King Abdullah's desire that the Arab world should adopt
an active role in the reform process, by drafting its own plans and programmes,
Awadallah said Jordan is proud to host the event for the third consecutive year.
Addressing the WEF Asia's Roundtable meeting in Singapore last week, the King
said, “deep change cannot succeed unless it responds directly to its own
society. It must reflect public priorities and concerns. No action imposed from
outside will generate that public buy-in.”
The meeting will host regional leaders, ministers and high-ranking officials
from Europe, Asia and the US. In addition, 1,000 guests will attend from
different world countries to address the region's political, economic and social
changes.
We are looking forward to a large contribution from the private sectors of
different world countries, particularly the US, Europe and Arab countries, said
Awadallah.
The WEF meeting will provide a chance to meet with world leading businessmen and
financial key figures. It will also represent a platform for the world leaders
and high-ranking officials to exchange viewpoints, he added.
Education ministers from the Arab countries and the G-8 countries will be
attending. They will discuss educational reforms, said Awadallah, who stressed
that these reforms form the basis for comprehensive regional reform.
Among the topics to be discussed is the relationship between education and
sustainable development, the role of education in promoting religious
understanding and gender equality, and the relationship between educational
institutions and modernised and diversified economies.
The meeting will also look into ways to boost cooperation between the Arab
countries and non-Arab Asian countries, which have adopted successful economic
reform policies, said Awadallah, highlighting the example of Singapore.
In relation to the significance of the Kingdom's role in playing host to the
forum, Awadallah said the event helps promote the Kingdom's culture and tourism
sectors as well as its investment environment.
The latest developments in Lebanon, Iraq and Palestine, the increase in oil
prices and ways to create new job opportunities in the region will also feature
on the meeting's agenda.
The WEF describes itself as an independent international organisation committed
to improving the state of the world by engaging leaders in partnerships to shape
global, regional and industry agendas.