UAE- Beirut Institute Summit: Arab Countries must capitalise on lessons learned

ABU DHABI 12th October 2015 (WAM) -- Legitimacy good governance and regional cooperation are essential requirements if the Arab region is to build on the lessons learned from recent instability and move on to successfully reconfigure the region's future.

This call for action came during yesterday's second and final day of Beirut Institute Summit discussions held in Abu Dhabi which convened more than 200 global leaders including sitting and former presidents prime ministers ministers top level CEOs tier one global officials dignitaries and senior public policy experts.

Moderated by Zeina Yaziji from SkyNews Arabia a session entitled "Lessons Learned: Moving Forward" covered the prospects for the future in the midst of the challenging and turbulent transition that the Arab region is currently facing.

Stressing the importance of regional cooperation in addressing common challenges Dr. Amr Moussa Former Secretary-General of the Arab League said "In politics and international relations there is no such thing as fate. We need to develop a plan for the Arab region to deal with the challenges we face."

Danilo Turk former President of the Republic of Slovenia said that each region needs to find its own way to reconcile stability and responsiveness to the popular will. He said "If you want to have a sustainable democracy you must have a system that is open and inclusive for everyone. But we must also recognise that this inclusiveness comes from within and is different in different parts of the world."

The Honourable Kevin Rudd former Prime Minister of Australia and President of the Asia Society Policy Institute in the US said "The re-emergence of an effective political and economic cooperation organisation for the Arab region is needed to reduce and manage the challenges it faces."

"We in Australia recognised that we needed an Asia-Pacific economic cooperation group and this has been an important factor in our region's rapid development and 25 years later we see a region that is leading the world" added Rudd.

Dr. Barham Salih former Prime Minister of Iraqi Kurdistan and former Deputy Prime Minister of Iraq said "What we have to keep in mind is the concept of legitimacy. Democracy is sustainable when it is based on institutions and the rule of law that can ensure that elections are not undermined by corruption. Our region needs solutions from our own people that promote legitimacy good governance and equal opportunity for everyone"

Robert Blackwill Senior Fellow at the New York based Council of Foreign Relations said "A historian writing 10 years from today would be likely to write that the Arab Spring was not a success because good governance did not emerge from the street. The US government's attempt to pursue a risk-free foreign policy approach in the region has not been successful."

Misbah Ahdab Member of the Lebanese Parliament and President of the Civil Moderation Gathering said "One of the challenges we face is that there is no plan and I do hope one is developed. We need a clear vision for Lebanon. We also need to re-engage dialogue among the actors in the region to encourage moderation."

The Beirut Institute Summit seeks to explore the Arab region's challenges and potential through integrated inter-disciplinary perspectives that move beyond a traditional understanding of the concepts of "political economy" and "security threats". Among the issues under the spotlight at the open-door plenary sessions were the role of smart cities Arab women's viewpoints and the relationship between ideas and policy.

Saudi-based ACWA Power supported the summit as gold sponsor with Consolidated Contractors Company as silver sponsor and the UAE's national carrier Etihad Airways as the official airline partner. A.T. Kearney supported the summit as exclusive Knowledge Partner.