SHARM EL-SHEIKH, Egypt, 21 May 2006 — Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak inaugurated a three-day economic forum of Middle Eastern politicians and business leaders yesterday with a call for peace and development.
Speaking to 1,200 participants from across the Middle East and beyond at the annual World Economic Forum (WEF) that began here amidst tight security, Mubarak said: “This strategic part of the world aspires to peace and development.”
“We hope to see a better future for its people,” he said, adding that the winds of change in the Middle East would not bear fruit without addressing Middle Eastern conflicts and tensions.
Among issues that need to be addressed, he listed the “stalemate in the peace process, the situation in Iraq, the controversy surrounding Iran’s nuclear program, the situation in Darfur and the tension between Syria and Lebanon.”
In his speech to the C-100 session of the forum, Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi said the problems in Iraq were due to the occupation. “The problem is not of Sunnis fighting Shiites... it is the American occupation that is creating the divisions in Iraq. The occupation has accentuated and amplified the sectarian divide in Iraq and I have conveyed this to the US president (George W. Bush),” he said.
The C-100 represents a group of eminent personalities who have dedicated their time and effort toward bridging the differences that exist between the Muslim world and the West.
“Any group that is seen in alliance with the occupation (in Iraq) is being targeted,” said the Malaysian premier. “If Sunnis are seen to be aligned with the occupation forces, they will be targeted too… There the people are being targeted on the basis of their affiliation with the occupation forces not because they are Shiites or Sunnis,” Badawi added.
But does the fact that the divide has not been completely bridged mean that recent dialogue over the past few years has been futile?
“I do not believe that is the case,” said Badawi. “We have made each other familiar with our respective faiths and civilization. We have also been able to convince one another that those who sometimes speak the loudest among us in a language of hatred, incitement and simple evil are in fact a small minority who seek to misrepresent us,” he said amid loud cheers.
Princess Lolwah Al-Faisal, co-chair of the World Economic Forum on the Middle East, was present at the key session along with former Deputy Chairman of the Shoura Council Abdullah Omar Naseef. Among a host of many high-profile personalities present at the conference was the chairman of Xenel/Saudi Cable Company Khalid Alireza, the editor in chief of the Arab News, Khaled Almaeena, and the executive manager of Strategic Studies at the Kingdom Holding Co. Muna Abu Sulayman.
Speaking about the role of the media in promoting dialogue, Almaeena said there was no point in bringing together people who were already in agreement with each other.
“It is important that those who hate each other are brought face to face. That would result in a real dialogue. Let the adversaries talk to each other and then find the commonalities. We need to understand each other and that can happen when we bring in people who have issues with each other,” said the Arab News editor in chief.
Almaeena said the media had played a negative role in demonizing communities for the misdeeds of a few. “There have been over generalizations... And this has created bad blood,” he said
He said that whenever dialogue takes place between Islam and the West people generally believe that the dialogue is between the West and the Middle East.
“There is need to acknowledge non-Arab Muslims... Indonesia and Malaysia are the best examples,” he told the audience. “They are Muslim countries and they need to be part of this dialogue. It should simply not become a dialogue between the West and Arabs.”
Among other issues discussed, organizers emphasized the need to secure more job opportunities for the region’s booming youth population. “The current oil windfall should be used with long-term projects in mind and for the creation of new opportunities for future generations,” said Sherif Al-Diwany, the Middle East and North Africa director for the WEF.
Siraj Wahab, Arab News