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Ammon News - AMMONNEWS - The World Economic Forum on the Middle East and North Africa (WEF-MENA) will be held at the Dead Sea in Jordan on 19-21 May 2017, in partnership with the King Abdullah II Fund for Development (KAFD). The meeting will convene over 1,000 government, business and civil society leaders from more than 50 countries.

Reflecting the central role of Jordan in the region, and with the continued support and participation of Their Majesties King Abdullah II and Queen Rania Al Abdullah, as well as the government of Jordan, the meeting will provide a collaborative platform for shaping the future of MENA region through public-private cooperation.

"If the hope is fulfilled that the region during the next months will have some kind of stability, it is essential to stimulate the economy through public-private cooperation to make any peace effort realistic and sustained," said Professor Klaus Schwab, Founder and Executive Chairman of the WEF.

The meeting will take place in the context of growing economic reform efforts that are being made in many countries of the region, as well as shifting investment and trade priorities. It will also aim to address continued geopolitical shifts and humanitarian challenges by supporting multistakeholder dialogue on the situation in Syria, Iraq and Libya, and the ongoing refugee crisis.

Top decision-makers from Gulf Cooperation Council countries, the Levant and North Africa, as well as key international stakeholders from the United States, Europe, East Africa and other regions, will also explore the impact of the Fourth Industrial Revolution – a new era in the global economy promising huge opportunities, resulting from the convergence of digital information and technological advancements in various economic fields. Under this theme, participants will examine in particular how new technologies can be harnessed to employment, encourage entrepreneurism and drive inclusive growth, especially in this region with a very young population.

"As an International Organization for Public-Private Cooperation, the World Economic Forum is committed to supporting the current reform momentum in the region. Jordan, given its long-standing economic and social resilience and commitment to dialogue, is a great partner for this effort," said Mirek Dusek, Head of the Middle East and North Africa, Member of the Executive Committee, World Economic Forum.

Imad Fakhoury, Minister of Planning and International Cooperation and KAFD Chairperson, said that "the return of the World Economic Forum on the Middle East and North Africa to Jordan during difficult times in the region is a testimony to Jordan’s strategic regional role, resilience and vast economic potential. The Forum continues to provide opportunities for partnerships geared towards inclusive development and investing in human talents".

The World Economic Forum on the Middle East and North Africa was last hosted in Jordan in 2015 in partnership with KAFD. Next year’s meeting will mark the ninth hosted by Jordan, since it was first held in the Dead Sea in 2003.