Sharjah-based business leader Sheikha Bodour bint Sultan Al Qasimi has been named as co-chairwoman for the World Economic Forum on the Middle East and North Africa, becoming the first Emirati woman to head the gathering.
Sheikha Bodour, chairwoman of the Sharjah Investment and Development Authority, is expected to champion the cause of youth empowerment at the forum, which takes place in Jordan from Thursday until Saturday.
She will participate in a panel discussion, emphasising the need to encourage youth to become contributors to the economic, social, and political development of their nations.
Sheikha Bodour will also speak at a Young Global Leaders Community Bonding event on Thursday.
“The Arab region has no shortage of young talent, but the challenge is to effectively utilise such talent and invest it in the development process both locally and regionally,” she said.
“As the youth population constitutes more than 55 per cent of the total population in the Arab world, it is crucial that we engage young people in core issues, instilling in them hope and optimism while harnessing their abilities and energy to create real and lasting peace and prosperity in the region.”
The co-chairs at the forum will include former UK prime minister Gordon Brown; Omar Al Ghanim, chief executive officer of Al Ghanim Industries, one of the largest privately-held companies in the Gulf region; Suma Chakrabarti, president of European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, and John Rice, vice-chairman of General Electric.
A delegation from Sharjah, composed of government representatives, will accompany Sheikha Bodour.
The forum will bring together more than 800 government, business, and civil society leaders from the region and beyond, under the theme Creating a Regional Framework for Prosperity and Peace through Public-Private Cooperation.
The World Economic Forum is a not-for-profit foundation based in Geneva, Switzerland.
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