Today's Edition
AHMED SHAABAN (CAIRO)
TRENDS Research & Advisory is taking part in the first annual forum for think tanks in Arab countries, held at the headquarters of the Arab League in Cairo, Egypt, under the slogan “With Thought, We Achieve Sustainable Development”.
TRENDS also took part in the accompanying exhibition, organised by the Media and Communication Sector -the Department of Research and Strategic Studies at the Arab League, with a distinctive pavilion showcasing the centre’s most prominent scientific, research publications. The pavilion, featuring over 200 diverse and translated publications, received great acclaim from the participants in the forum.
The forum, which started on Tuesday, and continues for two days, aims to present a future vision that contributes to activating the role of Arab think tanks in supporting joint Arab scientific research and to outline the challenges they face in achieving joint research programmes and projects to enhance regional cooperation.
The forum reviewed a set of mechanisms aimed at presenting a shared vision and ideas to enhance Arab cooperation in research and establishing strategic partnerships.
Ambassador Ahmed Rashid Khattabi, Assistant Secretary General and Head of the Media and Communication Sector at the Arab League inaugurated the forum, welcoming the attendees and praising the efforts of research centres in Arab countries.
The inauguration was opened with a moment of silence, paying tribute to the late Emir of Kuwait Sheikh Nawaf Al Ahmad Al Jaber Al Sabah.
Dr. Alaa Al Tamimi, Minister Plenipotentiary and Director of the Department of Research and Strategic Studies at the Arab League, pointed out that Arab think tanks are of great importance to researchers and specialists. He highlighted Arab think tanks’ outputs, which rely on accurate monitoring and analysis of current developments, in supporting decision-makers.
For his part, Dr. Mohammed Abdullah Al-Ali, CEO of Trends Research and Advisory, emphasised the vital role of the inaugural forum in bringing together think tanks from the region to collaborate and exchange ideas on issues concerning the Arab world. In a presentation titled “The Role of Think Tanks in Supporting Sustainable Development Efforts and Enhancing their Future Prospects: TRENDS as a Model”, Al-Ali reviewed TRENDS’ intellectual and research contributions, stating “Annually, we hold the TRENDS roundtable for think tanks, through which we seek to reach a common and constructive vision, understanding, and idea to serve our society”.
Over the past three years, TRENDS has held this event, which witnesses wide participation from Arab and international think tanks, ranging around 30-40 annually. In partnership with the Think Tanks and Civil Societies Program by the University of Pennsylvania’s Lauder, TRENDS organised a global forum for think tanks in Dubai in 2021, which featured the participation of 35 heads of global think tanks. Al-Ali noted that the centre also participated in the ISESCO Forum for Think Tanks in November, organised by the Islamic World Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organisation in the Moroccan capital, Rabat, adding that “at TRENDS, we are keen to enhance constructive cooperation with various think tanks”.
Al-Ali stressed that sustainable development has become the focus of the contemporary world, especially since challenges such as resource scarcity, and environmental issues have become more prominent. Localising and facing the challenges of sustainable development has taken centre stage in international, regional, and national forums, he added.
The TRENDS CEO affirmed that Arab countries are interested in sustainability, stressing the importance of focusing on the role of Arab think tanks in supporting intellectual work in the field of sustainable development, whether in issuing research to localise development or presenting studies that project its elements and future challenges.
He referred to the current reality of Arab economies, confirming Arab governments’ continuous support for educational and training activities to consolidate the cultural and practical expertise necessary for human capital, as well as the proliferation of think tanks in Arab countries, which have become indispensable in supporting Arab cooperation and enhancing Arab developmental decision-making.
Al-Ali pointed out that since its inception, TRENDS has placed studies and research on sustainable development at the forefront of its fourteen research programmes. He noted that the centre’s studies have covered economic, political, security, and cultural challenges, addressing issues such as industrialisation, competitiveness, and economic growth at the regional and international levels. TRENDS consultations have supported decision-making in the Arab region, and have provided recommendations to make the business environment attractive to investments beneficial for sustainable development.
Other TRENDS studies have analysed the strategic and security challenges threatening the Arab region and impeding development, recommending effective solutions to pave the way for sustainable Arab development. “TRENDS believes in the importance of cooperation between Arab think tanks to localise sustainable development in our brotherly Arab countries,” Al-Ali said, noting that the centre has signed dozens of research agreements and partnerships with think tanks and research centres in various Arab countries.
Additionally, TRENDS has actively participated in the annual meetings of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP), including its previous edition in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt (COP27), and COP28 in the UAE, the region’s largest sponsor of sustainability, Al-Ali said.
