By Joseph Varghese/Staff Reporter
The 13th Doha Forum, which will be held at the Ritz-Carlton Doha from May 20 to 22, will discuss various regional and international affairs including economic issues, the organisers said yesterday.
The event is being held under the patronage of HH the Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani.
Giving details of the forum, the Minister’s Assistant for International Co-operation Affairs and Chairman of Qatar’s Permanent Committee for Organising Conferences, HE Sheikh Ahmed bin Mohammed bin Jabr al-Thani, said “at the opening ceremony, the Prime Minister and Foreign Minister HE Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jabor al-Thani will give an insight into Qatar’s perspective on current challenges in international relations, the country’s active foreign policy and the aims of the event.”
He said this year’s forum will feature an impressive group of world leaders, academics, experts and leading figures from the foreign policy community coming together to discuss some of the most pressing issues in international current affairs.
Sheikh Ahmed said the forum would discuss the impact of the emerging world order on the Arab countries and the challenges facing the new democracies in the Middle East.
“From an economic perspective, the forum will look at the current status for development amidst the ongoing economic crisis and also the impact on human rights. The forum will also examine the prospects for greater international co-operation and the requirement for success in this area.”
For the first time, Brookings Doha Centre will sponsor a plenary session during the forum.
Brookings Doha director Salman Shaikh said: “It is a great opportunity to be invited by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to contribute directly to this year’s Doha Forum. Our session will look directly at the major challenges following the Arab Spring at the institutional reform.”
He added that sound institutions were the building blocks of a democratic society. “Creating a strong, reformed state is the key to the success of transitions we see across the Middle East,” he added.
Dr Mohammed bin Saif al-Kuwari from National Human Rights Committee (NHRC) in Qatar said there would be a session by NHRC on the impact of the global economic crisis on human rights.
“The session will address the pressing issues of private sector social responsibility in human rights, the protection of migrant workers and the role of international organisations in addressing the results of the economic crisis on labourers.”
Some of the leading figures taking part in the conference are presidents of Chile and Senegal; vice president of Argentina; prime ministers of Portugal, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Antigua and Barbuda; Dr John Ashe, president- elect of the UN General Assembly; former British prime minister Gordon Brown and former French premier Francois Fillon. A large number of internationally renowned figures will also speak during the forum.