Jordan Times
Saturday, May 15, 2004
WEF to focus on reform
Over 1,300 senior political, business, religious and cultural leaders
will debate Iraq, Palestine, global business agenda and policy reforms
By Alia Shukri Hamzeh
AMMAN, May 14 - Amidst the new realities in the Middle East, participants to the
World Economic Forum (WEF), which starts Saturday at the Dead Sea, will direct
the thrust of their discussions and debates on policy reform in the region.
Under the theme: "Facing the Real Challenges: Partnering for Change, Peace and Development," more than 1,300 senior political, business, religious and cultural leaders will focus on four key areas: Partnering for Regional Reform, Defining the Business Agenda, Transitioning Iraq — Iraq Revisited and The Global Agenda: Impact on the Region.
The escalation in violence between Israelis and Palestinians is a focal point of discussions.
"The importance of this conference emanates from the fact that it is being held during very difficult times in the region. There still remains large political, social and economic challenges to be dealt with, and the area is witnessing high levels of tension resulting from the situation in Iraq and the deadlocked peace process," said Minister of Planning and International Cooperation Bassem Awadallah.
He said the future of the Middle East and its ability to cope with international political and economic climates would be debated during the three-day forum, expected to host around six heads of state and more than 30 ministers from Arab and Western countries.
"This meeting will be an important milestone, a chance to discuss and plan our common future — and a chance to send a message that a number of Arab leading figures, from all sections of society, are prepared to work together," Awadallah said. He noted that prevalent problems of poverty and unemployment, as well as social and political "disorderliness" needed to be tackled. According to the WEF website, the meeting, which aims to provide participants with an overall perspective of how the region is positioned in the global economy, will also define the international business agenda for the upcoming years.
Sessions will look at Arab competitiveness and build on the work of the WEF's Arab Business Council, set up at last year's Dead Sea forum. World economists have stated that boosting Arab states' competitiveness remains to be a major challenge. The WEF's Arab World Competitiveness report for 2002-2003 said regional growth has stagnated since the 1980s despite some of the highest investment rates in the world. Job creation is seen as a critical factor to revive global competitiveness in the region. This, however, should be achieved by incorporating the private sector and placing emphasis on export-oriented industries. The Dead Sea meeting is expected to team up representatives of selected industries with local leaders in order to encourage their contribution to the economic prosperity of the region and the rest of the world. Representatives of Arab governments and private sector are expected to join the discussions that will also tackle ways to encourage development programs.
Special focus will also be given to telecommunications, construction and infrastructure, energy, finance, food and beverage, and travel and tourism, Awadallah said.
According to the minister, this year's participation was higher than expected with a registered number of 1,350 individuals. Some 500 businessmen, a similar number of political figures and around 350 media representatives are taking part in the forum, which also brings some 500 reputable international companies to the Kingdom.
Amongst the corporations to be represented are Boeing, Nestle, Hewlett Packard, Cisco, Microsoft, Citigroup, Oracle, Bechtel, Fluor, France Telecom, Orascom Telecom Holding, Saudi Oger and BP Amoco. Academia and NGOs are also well-represented.
Organizers had expected the number to drop from last year's 1,800 participants, in view of the current unstable situation in the region and the increased security considerations. But, officials have stressed that all security measures and precautions to ensure the safety of the delegates were taken.
"Holding the forum in Jordan was a chance to give a voice to the very best ideas in the Arab world — and to address the need for reform. The forum is a platform for those who see the need for change to work together," WEF Managing Director Fred Sicre said.
He noted that there were many ideas coming out of
the region, from business leaders, scientists and political activists that need
to be built on. "But at the moment, the Arab world still doesn't talk with
one voice," he added.
Sicre said the Middle East should gain momentum and "try to catch up"
with the ever fast-moving world economy.
Awadallah and Sicre agreed that the forum has greater importance this year
because it precedes the rescheduled Arab summit and the G-8 meeting. The meeting
will firmly reiterate that any solution to the decades-old Palestinian-Israeli
conflict could only be resolved under international resolutions which call for
the establishment of an independent Palestinian state, the minister said.
US Secretary of State Colin Powell is expected to hold separate meetings on the sidelines of the forum with Palestinian and Israeli officials as well as Arab delegations on the peace process.