São Paulo – This Monday (24th) in New York, the executive chairman of the World Economic Forum, Klaus Schwab, and the king of Jordan, Abdullah II, have announced that the upcoming edition of the meeting on the Middle East and North Africa will take place in Jordan from May 24 to 26, 2013. The country will host the event for the seventh time. This year, the event was held in June in Istanbul, Turkey.
According to information from the Jordan Tourism Board, the 2013 meeting will address the national and regional policies needed to ensure the growth of Arab economies. These nations are facing the common challenges of providing its populations with means to survive, ensuring employment, and addressing the scarcity of resources.
The 2013 edition of the Forum will also outline how North African nations which underwent government changes during the Arab Spring, such as Egypt, Libya and Tunisia, should go about a sustained economic transition. The influence of conflicts in Syria on interreligious and inter-social relations will also be tackled at the event.
Approximately 1,000 people are expected to attend the World Economic Forum on the Middle East and North Africa. Officials from local governments, businessmen, representatives of civil society organizations and universities are expected to attend.
According to WEF spokesperson Miroslav Dusek, the 2013 Forum will aim to foster the spirit of partnership that is “so essential for ensuring peace and security at this time of fundamental change.”
Nasser Lozi, the spokesperson for the King Abdullah II Fund for Development, which is co-organizing the event alongside the Forum, stated that Jordan is hoping to a play a “very active” role in helping achieve the event’s goals, which are to enhance regional cooperation and partnerships.
The World Economic Forum is held annually in Davos, Switzerland, to discuss the directions and trends in world economy. In addition to the Forum, the organization holds regional meetings.
*Translated by Gabriel Pomerancblum
