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UAE to Host Nato Seminar on ‘Mideast, Global Challenges’

ABU DHABI — The Ministry of State for Federal National Council (FNC) Affairs will host parliamentarians from 15 North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (Nato) nations who will interact with legislators from Middle Eastern and North African countries at a seminar on the ‘Middle East and Global Challenges’ to be held in Abu Dhabi on October 8-9.

More than 50 parliamentarians, officials from international organisations and governments, senior academics, journalists and experts will take part in this international event.

Shaikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the UAE, and Jose Lello, President of the Nato Parliamentary Assembly, will address the opening ceremony.

The sessions will be presided by Jean-Michel Boucheron, Chairman of the assembly’s Mediterranean and Middle East Special Group.

Ambassador Alvaro de Soto, former UN special coordinator for the Middle East peace process, will deliver the keynote address outlining global challenges faced by the Middle East.

Dr Anwar Gargash, Minister of State for FNC Affairs, said, “This strategic meeting contributes to creating a common understanding between Nato countries and the GCC region, and will address the global challenges faced by the Middle East.

“The event will serve as a crucial platform to exchange opinions and experiences and also highlight the political experience of the UAE and the efforts taken to enhance political practices.”

On the first day, the session will be devoted to political reform in the Middle East and the Gulf’s energy security challenges. Contributors include Abdul Aziz Al Ghurair, Speaker of the FNC, Ambassador Ahmed Benhelli, Assistant Secretary-General of the League of Arab States Marina Ottaway, Director of the Middle East Programme at Carnegie Endowment for International Peace Noevan Hulst, Secretary-General of the International Energy Forum in Riyadh Ambassador Hamad Al Kaabi, permanent representative of the UAE to the IAEA and special representative for international nuclear co-operation, and David Scott, Director of Energy and Economic Affairs, Executive Affairs Authority, Abu Dhabi.

On the second day, participants will focus on the Gulf security perceptions and the role of Nato, as well as on initiatives and obstacles in the area of inter-cultural dialogue.

The speakers include Scott Ritter, former chief UN inspector in Iraq, Michael Gaul, Deputy Director, Defence and Security Economics Directorate, Political Affairs and Security Policy Division, Nato Headquarters and Ilter Turan, professor of political science at Istanbul Bilgi University.

Closing remarks will be presented by Jean-Michel Boucheron and Dr Anwar Gargash.This seminar is part of the activities of the Nato Parliamentary Assembly’s Mediterranean and Middle East Special Group, which provides a forum for parliamentarians from Nato member countries and their counterparts in the countries of the Middle East and North Africa to discuss common security and political issues. —