Arab Strategy Forum promises a thought-provoking finale with the Fourth Estate

The global think tank, which will gather in Dubai from the 13th to the 15th of December, will include Thomas Friedman, one of the most respected journalists of our time and a columnist for the New York Times of the USA. Accompanying him, and of equal stature would be Fareed Zakaria, Editor of Newsweek International, also of the USA

"We shall embark on the search for a blueprint for the Arab world in the year 2020 at the Arab Strategy Forum 2004. We have gathered the best experts from all spectrums of thought and governance - public or corporate," said Nabil Al Yousuf, Vice Chairman of the Arab Strategy Forum Organising Committee and Chief Executive Office of Dubai Holding.

"We feel it is very critical to have the world's leading members of the Fourth Estate, who have seen the world change and who are a medium of change themselves through their communications skills," he added.

Gathering of Experts
Fareed and Friedman will join other delegates, speakers and participants, who will include Heads of State, public and corporate sector decision-makers, specialists, experts and academics and top officials of global institutions and non-government organisations.

"Members of the Fourth Estate, like Fareed and Friedman, see events differently than the rest of us. They will bring a new perspective to the Arab Strategy Forum. Their high level of professionalism and world standing has allowed them the key talent of taking things in context and expertly analysing trends and events," said Al Yousuf.

"Who better than Friedman and Fareed, then, to sum up the three days of deliberations that would have at Arab Strategy Forum," Al Yousuf said.

Valuable Lessons
Fareed and Friedman will both participate in the closing session of this year's Arab Strategy Forum, which shall not only sum up the discussions, but will also analyse the key issue of the 'Rise and Fall of Countries and Corporations' - a subject that would provide valuable lessons for those countries and corporates, particularly in the Arab world, who are yet on the development path and who aspire to be counted amongst the best.

"The concluding session is a crucial one. By asking and answering critical questions, it will show the way for the future, what to adopt and what to avoid. It will define what key sectors should be the focus when it comes to shaping a better future for the Arab world and where could one start? What are the lessons we can learn from the experience of other nations in development and rebuilding? Why is progress lacking in the Arab world and what are the roles and responsibilities of Arab thinkers in shaping the future? Questions such as these, we feel, would help us plan a better tomorrow," stated the Vice Chairman of the Arab Strategy Forum Organising Committee.

In such deliberations, Fareed and Friedman will be joined by Dr. Fuad Ajami, Director of Middle East Studies Programme at the world-renowned John Hopkins University of the USA.

High Calibre
"With the calibre of experts we will have at the concluding session, I am sure that we can safely promise a very though-provoking conclusion of this year's Arab Strategy Forum," Al Yousuf said.

The Arab Strategy Forum will deliberate over issues of policy, governance, transparency, political and economic reform, education, building a knowledge-efficient workforce and regional security amongst other issues critical to the future well being and development of the Arab world and society.

Eight pre-eminent local and international organisations have come forward to offer their unstinted support for this year's Arab Strategy Forum. The premiere annual event has six Organising Partners and two Media Partners. They are Emirates National Oil Company Ltd (ENOC), Abraaj Capital, PricewaterhouseCooper, DaimlerChrysler, National Bank of Dubai and Gulf News, in addition to our Media Partners Al Sharq Al Awsat and CNN. The Arab Strategy Forum will provide valuable insights, which will help in improving the status of the Arab World.