LIVE: Ayman Safadi joins World Economic Forum panel discussion

Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates Ayman Safadi will join a panel discussion titled "State of Play: Conflict in the Middle East" on Wednesday at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland. The session will be moderated by David Ignatius, a journalist from the Washington Post.

This year’s forum is particularly significant, occurring amid notable transformations in the Middle East. Mirek Dušek, the forum's Managing Director, expressed cautious optimism about the region's future. He highlighted recent de-escalation efforts, including the ceasefire in Gaza, the election of a new president in Lebanon, and the diminishing influence of Bashar Al-Assad's regime in Syria.

Dušek emphasized that the vibrant economies of the Gulf are key to this optimism, noting their vital role in supporting global growth initiatives.

In an interview with Asharq Al-Awsat, he praised the region's economic vitality and its historical relationship with the WEF, stating, "The Middle East has always been one of the key areas of focus for the forum."

The forum's 55th session features a special emphasis on the Middle East, with Arab delegations participating in discussions on geopolitical and economic issues, as well as the transition to a "smart era." Dušek remarked on the long-standing collaboration with various stakeholders in the region, citing the historical engagement of Middle Eastern leaders in the forum since the 1970s and 1980s.