Evian Group Arab Regional Meeting Concludes
20 Mar 2006CAIRO, Egypt -20 March 2006- The Evian Group Arab Regional Meeting, organised by the Evian Group in collaboration with the Talal Abu-Ghazaleh Organisation (TAGorg), concluded on Monday with the participation of regional and international government leaders, businessmen and intellectuals.
The meeting, which will be followed on Tuesday with the inauguration of the Global Youth Forum at the American University in Cairo, consisted of high-level deliberations on the assessment of the region’s role in facing the challenges of globalization.
Former Executive Vice President of Nestlé SA for Asia, Africa and Oceania, and Co-Chairman of the Evian Group Mike Garrett, and Chairman and CEO of TAGorg and Chair of the Evian Group Arab Region Talal Abu-Ghazaleh, expressed their high appreciation that HE Mr.Amr Mousa, Secretary General of the League of Arab States, accepted the invitation to become Honorary Chairman of the Evian Group Arab Region Advisory Board.
In his opening remarks, Mr. Mousa acknowledged the many challenges facing the region and welcomed the pioneering initiative which the meeting could induce both in the present and in the future.
Mr. Mousa further stated that in an era of global and regional uncertainties, a credible and reciprocal environment of dialogue and confidence is needed in order to boost economic growth and overcome current doubts, frustrations and conflicts.
The Egyptian Minister for International Cooperation, HE Dr. Fayza Aboulnaga, reiterated that achieving a balance for the impacts resulted from the globalisation process is vital.
Pertaining to the Arab region, Egypt in particular, one of the challenges put forward was to assess the transitional period as liberalisation polices are put in place.
Another key question which was addressed by the meeting was the means through which the Arab region and Egypt can both go through in the reform process while sustaining local support.
It is important to state that promoting fair rules in the multilateral trade framework is an important component to this process. While encouraging the opening of additional economic, social and cultural channels between Europe and Asia with an active role for the Arab region, Dr. Aboulnaga gave her full support to the launch of the Global Youth Forum, with a strong focus to be laid on the necessity of creating job opportunities.
With the various challenges and opportunities at work, the emphasis of deliberations and outcomes of the Evian Group Arab Regional Meeting and Global Youth Forum will be that of building bridges, which as Mr. Talal Abu-Ghazaleh stressed is a major force in precipitating the ‘clash of civilisations.’
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