SHUNEH, Jordan, 18 May 2004 — Jordan’s King Abdallah praised the work of the World Economic Forum in a speech here yesterday closing three days of intense debate in this Dead Sea resort on Arab reform, Iraq and the Middle East conflict.
“The last three days have been quite extraordinary and witnessed a process to turn the thoughts of entrepreneurs and leaders into action that will benefit our region and our world,” the king said.
More than 850 participants from 51 countries took part in the meeting held at the Shuneh resort on the shores of the Dead Sea, the lowest point on the surface of the earth at about 400 meters (1,300 feet) below sea level.
The meeting came just days before an Arab summit in Tunis on May 22-23 and ahead of a summit of the Group of Eight industrialized nations in June, which will both address Middle East reforms.
The World Economic Forum will reconvene at this Dead Sea resort on May 20-22 next year, WEF Chairman Klaus Schwab said yesterday. The WEF held a first meeting here last year.
Meanwhile, four Arab governments have appointed ministerial coordinators to bolster the Arab Business Council (ABC), a group of leading businessmen engaged in economic reform schemes, organizers said yesterday.
“The appointment of these high-level coordinators is a testimony to the commitment of these governments to support the reform agenda,” said Frederic Sicre, managing director of the WEF meeting.
Coordinators were appointed by Jordan, Egypt, Morocco and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), countries which are widely seen as the engine behind efforts to push for political and economic reform in the Middle East.
Jordan’s choice was Planning Minister Bassem Awadallah, while Egypt appointed Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Fayza Abu El-Naga, Morocco named royal adviser Mohammed Kabbaj and the UAE chose Economy Minister Sheikh Fahim Al-Qassimi.
ABC Chairman Shafiq Gabr said these appointments “will give us a strong mandate to work with our governments to effect key reforms.” The ABC was set up by a group of 50 prominent Arab businessmen at last year’s WEF meeting in Jordan.
Since then it has drafted a blueprint for economic reform for the 22-member Arab League focusing on three main themes: economic liberalization and reforms, governance and human resource development.