By Omar Obeidat in The Jordan Times
DEAD SEA –– The World
Economic Forum (WEF) Special Meeting on Economic Growth and Job Creation in the
Arab World concluded Sunday with calls for addressing youth issues and larger
economic cooperation between Arab countries.
On the sidelines of the two-day forum, held on the shores of
the Dead Sea, Jordan signed yesterday several investment agreements in the
fields of ICT, health and mining worth over JD2 billion.
During the event, Jordan and the US signed an agreement worth
$300 million in loan guarantees to small and medium enterprises.
In his opening address at the forum, which brought together
over 1,000 participants from around 50 nations, including eight heads of state
and government, His Majesty King Abdullah stressed that the region stands at the
gates of future, emphasising that dignity, opportunity, democracy, and peace and
justice are four crucial areas that must be taken into consideration when
planning the future of the Arab world.
Founder and Executive Chairman of WEF Klaus Schwab cited job
creation and fighting corruption and cronyism as models to deal with global
changes.
Panellists and experts from the region and across the world
also highlighted that injustice, unemployment, illiteracy and poverty caused the
tension between governments and societies that led to the Arab Spring.
One of the highlights of the closing session was the awarding
of the King Abdullah II Award for Youth Innovation and Achievement to three
recipients that were prsented by the King.
Over two days, participants discussed topics that covered the
new economic context in the region, trust through accountability, renewing
parterships for development, the future of regional cooperation and linking
trade to development, among other issues.
Middle East Quartet representative Tony Blair, former foreign
minister Nasser Judeh, former Arab League secretary general Amr Musa and Prime
Minister of Kurdistan Regional Government Barham Saleh discussed in a session,
entitled “Geostrategic Scenarios for 2012” the future of the region.
US foreign policy priorities and the outlook of the US-Arab
relations were also key topics of the forum.
Two reports were launched during the meeting - The Arab World
Competitiveness Report 2011-2012 and Accelerating Entrepreneurship in the Arab
World.
In a final statement closing the meeting, Schwab pointed out
that the world is at a turning point. “We have moved from soft power to hard
power,” he said. “Now we have to move to collaborative power in which we engage
with everyone.”
