IISS Geo-Economics Conference opens in Bahrain
Manama : Around two hundred business leaders, government officials, and economic analysts from the all over the globe converged on Bahrain yesterday to take part in the second IISS Geo-Economics Conference: Bahrain Bay Forum titled “MENA economies: positioning for a new world (dis) order”.
Talks at the event held at the Four Seasons Hotel Bahrain Bay focused on the emerging geopolitical and geo-economic risks at the global and regional levels, as well as the drivers of the energy markets. The event, organised by The International Institute for Strategic Studies, concludes today.
At the opening ceremony, speeches were given by IISS-Middle East Executive Director Sir John Jenkins and renowned economist Dr Christof Rühl.
“What we try to do at IISS is to start and continue debates on important issues and policy issues regarding the middle east and its integration with the rest of the world,” said Jenkins.
“At IISS, we run two major conferences in Bahrain, one is the Manama dialogue and the other is the Bahrain bay forum,” he said adding: “We are trying to get its timing right, so that it could work in tandem with the Manama dialogue and act as a compliment to the Manama dialogue on the Geo-economic side.”
Rühl spoke about the situation of the world economy and the region. He warned that the GCC will not be able to rely on oil revenues to fuel the economy in the long-term as oil prices are unlikely to return to the previously high levels.
Notable speakers for today’s event include: Carl Bildt, former Prime Minister, Sweden; Member of the Council, International Institute for Strategic Studies, James Steinberg, Professor, International Affairs and Law, Syracuse University; former Deputy Secretary of State, United States, Shaikh Mohammed bin Khalifa Al Khalifa, Minister of Oil, Kingdom of Bahrain and Gao Haihong, Director, Research Center for International Finance, Institute of World Economics and Politics, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.
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