UfM participates in the Global Meeting for Regional Organizations held in Abu Dhabi

Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates 18 – 19 November 2013. The UfM Secretary General, Fathallah Sijilmassi, participated over two days in the Global Meeting of Regional Organizations: Shaping Global and Regional Transformations, organized jointly by the World Economic Forum (WEF) and the Government of the United Arab Emirates in Abu Dhabi on 18-19 November. A number of leaders of regional organizations also attended the meeting. It focused on addressing priorities for collaboration at a time of unprecedented expansion of regionalism. The leaders of the organizations also shared best practices to overcome various challenges and driving economic and social inclusion. They discussed new models to accelerate global cooperation as an important vehicle for promoting economic growth and human development.

The meeting was held within the context of the WEF’s annual Summit on the Global Agenda, which is the world’s largest brainstorming event, bringing together the most relevant experts from academia, business, civil society, international organizations and governments. The Summit provides the opportunity to advance knowledge and collaboratively explore important issues shaping the global, industry and regional agendas. Over 900 Members of the Forum’s Network of Global Agenda Councils engaged this year in interactive workshops and sessions to provide comprehensive insight and recommendations on some of the most pressing global challenges and opportunities.

The UfM Secretary General, Fathallah Sijilmassi, spoke at the plenary session of the Summit on the Global Agenda along with the Swedish Minister of Foreign affairs Carl Bildt, Mrs Yoriko Kawagushi, former Japanese Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mrs Alicia Barcena Ibarra the Executive Secretary of the UN Economic Commission for Latin America and Mr Igor Finogenov Chariman of the Euroasian Development Bank. The session, chaired by Klaus Schwab the Executive Chairman of the World Economic Forum, focused on global challenges and ways of addressing them across regions.