Abu Dhabi Strategic Debate 2017 to discuss regional

The annual Abu Dhabi Strategic Debate, to be held from 11th to 13th November 2017, is among the most important events taking place in the UAE, as it seeks to clarify the strategic goals of several foreign policy issues.

The debate is being organised by the Emirates Policy Centre, EPC, in cooperation with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, the Atlantic Council in Washington and the Geneva Centre for Security Policy, GCSP, in Switzerland.

The forum seeks to contribute to the development in the understanding of future trends and their role in international policy, while also aiming to draft recommendations for applicable policies and foresee the future of the region, as well as trends in regional and international policies.

More than 100 decision makers, politicians and scholars will participate in the debate, and it will be attended by more than 500 persons from the UAE, countries from the Gulf Cooperation Council, GCC, the region and across the world. The latest methodologies to predict crises and political risks, as well as to foresee regional and international developments, will be presented at the event.

In a statement to the Emirates News Agency, WAM, Dr. Ibtisam Al-Kitbi, President of the EPC, said that the fourth edition of the debate was aimed at making Abu Dhabi for regional and international forums of strategic nature, as well as to promote the centre's approach in discussing important subjects with the UAE and the GCC countries.

Al-Kitbi highlighted that the sessions would address the soft power policies of the UAE, security in the Gulf region, the Iran crisis, Turkey's policies and its stability, the future of Syria, Libya and Yemen, the Qatar crisis, the policies of the American administration towards the Arab region, the return of Asian countries to leading roles in world events, the actual power of Russia, and extremism and terrorism.

Concerning the impact of US policies on the Gulf region and the threats of State of Qatar's policies, she said that the four Arab nations who cut diplomatic ties with Qatar are concerned with individual Qatari policies that defied and contradicted the policies of the GCC.

Qatar aims to threaten the stability of the GCC countries and formed alliances with organisations classified by the international community as terrorist organisations by welcoming them in Doha or financing them, or by adopting a discourse of hatred through Qatari-financed media outlets, either directly or indirectly.