JEDDAH, 2 February 2004 — A new Arab youth forum has been established, Asharq Al-Awsat, a sister publication of Arab News, reported yesterday. The forum will include prominent businessmen, economists and leading figures from throughout the Arab world.
“The new forum aims at mobilizing the capabilities of outstanding Arab youth leaders in order to spearhead development and give people hope and confidence in the future,” the paper said.
Muhammad Abdullah Al-Gergawi, chairman of the board of Dubai Development & Investment Authority, has been appointed president of the new organization. It was set up as a result of Arab meetings on the sidelines of the recent World Economic Forum in Davos. Hakam Al-Kanfani, executive director of the Palestinian Telecom Organization for Mobile Phones, will be vice-president of the forum whose executive committee includes Mustafa Abdul Wudood, general manager of EFG Hermes for the Egyptian banking and investment services, Assilah Al-Harthy from Oman, Sheikha Hanadi Al-Thani of Qatar, and Habeeb Al-Ghawi of Jordan.
“The committee will recruit youths from all Arab countries as forum members, including prominent businessmen, government officials, sportsmen, media persons, social workers, scientists and intellectuals,” the paper said, quoting Gergawi. The move aims at selecting some 100 outstanding Arab youths who have the qualities and capabilities to lead the Arab nation to a brighter future, Gergawi said.
The forum, according to Gergawi, will conduct a study on the Arab world, giving their vision of the region by the year 2010. The result of the study will be published on April 18 when the committee meets in Dubai. The study will focus on the challenges being faced by the Arab world such as population explosion, economic depression and unemployment among the youth.
Gergawi has also announced that the globe’s leading authorities, thinkers, policy-makers, top government officials and business leaders will gather to discuss what the Arab world will look like in 2010. “This will be the focus of the upcoming Dubai Strategy Forum to be held in Dubai from April 18 - 20, 2004 under the theme ‘The Arab World in 2010’,” he said.
