Conference on
Mideast economic future today
Doha:
The international conference entitled ‘Enriching the
Middle East's Economic Future’, dealing with a host of
economic and energy issues in the region, opens at the
Ritz Carlton this morning.
The conference, co-sponsored by the Ministry of Foreign
Affairs and the UCLA Ronald W Burkle Center for
International Relations, will focus on key economic
issues in the region, including energy security, Asia's
emerging role in the petroleum market, and the Middle
East's impact on the global marketplace.
“The economic and regional stability of the Middle East
is of vital importance to the entire world community,
and as events in this region are rapidly progressing, it
is important that the concerned parties from around the
world join together in a dialogue focused on tackling
challenges and employing solutions," said former US
President Bill Clinton.
Bill Clinton and H E Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jabor
Al Thani, First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of
Foreign Affairs, who will address the morning session,
are among the high-ranking international leaders from
the US, Europe, Asia and the Middle East who will speak
at the three-day conference.
“The government of Qatar is pleased to host this group
of international leaders who are interested in
discussing critical issues of importance to the nations
and states of this vital area of the world", said Sheikh
Hamad bin Jassim. Steven L Spiegel, UCLA political
scientist and Conference Chair for the Burkle Center,
said the conference will explore the ways that region
can better utilise oil revenues. "Economic progress can
lead to social and political benefits, the advancement
of democratisation, and to lessening of conflict and
hostility region-wide," he said.
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