Under the directives and patronage of His Highness Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai the organising committee of the Arab Strategy Forum has announced that the eighth session of the forum will commence on December 15 in Dubai.

Convening eminent thought leaders and experts economists politicians and analysts the event will aim to forecast future trends in the Arab region while examining economic and political challenges that have dominated the world in2016.

Mohammed Al Gergawi Chairman of the Executive Office of HH Shaikh Mohammed and chairman of the higher organizing committee of the Arab Strategy Forum said: "The eighth edition of the Arab Strategy forum articulates the vision of HH Sheikh Mohammed with regard to the global need to plan for the future and develop multiple and alternative scenarios for all short- and medium-term goals on the political and economic levels. The rapid changes the world is witnessing require thoughtful insights to study their impact if we are to collectively resolve the various emerging regional and international challenges."

He added: "We in the United Arab Emirates are working continuously to monitor all variables and update our plans and projects in accordance with the latest developments. The global confidence the UAE has earned enables it to serve as a platform to forecast the future and develop solutions for predictable or even unforeseen challenges. The UAE leadership has proven the soundness of its vision regarding the causes of political conflicts and economic crises as well as the mechanisms to solve them."

Al Gergawi noted that the seventh session of the Forum which was held in Dubai last year succeeded in drawing a picture of the year 2015 and contributed to highlighting diverse global and regional events scenarios and current challenges.

Likewise the upcoming edition of the forum this year will see the participation of a number of decision makers as well as political and economic scientists who will forecast the state of the world in 2016.

HRH Turki Al Faisal Chairman of the King Faisal Center for Research and Islamic Studies former Director General of the General Intelligence Directorate (GID) of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Ghassan Salameh political thinker and author will headline a session on the political state of the Arab world in 2016.

Salam Fayyad former Palestinian Prime Minister and Mahmoud Mohieldin Corporate Secretary and President's Special Envoy World Bank will participate in a session on the economic state of the Arab world in 2016.

William Hague former UK Foreign Secretary will lead a session on the political state of the world for 2016.

Larry Summers former US Secretary of Treasury and former president of Harvard University and Professor Nouriel Roubini from New York University will headline a session on the economic state of the world in 2016.

As a key highlight this year's edition of the Arab Strategy Forum will showcase a number of reports by international organizations. The World Bank will offer insights on the economic projections for the world in 2016 while the International Monetary Fund (IMF) will spotlight its regional economic forecasts for the upcoming year. Foreign Affairs magazine will discuss its report on the political and economic state of the world for 2016. Furthermore the World Economic Forum (WEF) will highlight its Global Risks Report 2016.

The Arab Strategy Forum was launched in 2001. It focuses on political and economic issues affecting the world in general and the Arab world in particular. The Forum has succeeded over the years in becoming an influential platform that convenes prominent political and thought leaders such as former US President Bill Clinton late Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Al-Hariri Samuel Huntington American professor of political science Eric Schmidt Chairman of Google and Kofi Annan former Secretary General of the United Nations among others.