14.30 – 16.30
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Thematic
Session 1: Fostering Inclusive and Sustainable Economic Growth and
Development
This
session examines economic, environmental and energy-related risks and
vulnerabilities that are both internal and external to the region. It
highlights processes that may exclude or marginalize certain groups, such as
women and youth, from access to natural resources and economic opportunities,
thus increasing their exposure to climatic disasters and economic risks. This
session’s dual focus on climate resilience and job-rich growth will allow
participants to consider opportunities for inclusive, sustainable, and
resilient development in the region.
Presenters:
·
Kishan Khoday -Regional Team
Leader- Climate Change, DRR, Energy and Environment, UNDP
·
Khalid Al Wazani, Strategy and Knowledge Advisor - MBRF
Discussants:
·
Ahmed Badr, Executive
Director, Regional Center for Renewable Energy and Efficiency
·
Khaled Mahdi, Secretary
General, The Supreme Council for Planning and Development, Kuwait
·
Majdi Hassen, Executive
Director of Institut Arabe des Chefs dEntreprises (IACE), Tunisia
·
Tamer Mahmoud Abdelaziz,
Director of Regional Trade Agreements, Ministry of Industry and Trade, Egypt
Moderator: Rima Younes El Khatib - Vice-
Director and Trade in Services Coordinator at the Foreign Affairs Department,
Central Bank of Lebanon.
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16.45 – 18.00
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Fostering Development Cooperation in the Arab States region
With the
multi-dimensional and interconnected nature of the global goals and an
increasingly diverse range of actors at all levels, development cooperation can
be a powerful lever to initiate policy and programme integration required to
implement the SDGs. This session explores how such development cooperation can
be leveraged and discusses potential improvements that could be pursued by
national and international development partners.
Discussants
·
Marjeta Jager - Deputy
Director-General in DG International Cooperation and Development, European
Commission
·
H.E. Said Hindam, Assistant
Foreign Minister for International Cooperation for Development, Egypt
·
Roberto Valent, Special
Representative, UNDP Programme of Assistance to the Palestinian People
·
Ramla Khalidi, Chief of
Strategy, Evaluation and Partnership Section, ESCWA
Moderator: Ms. Sophie de Caen - Deputy
Assistant Administrator and Deputy Regional Director of the Regional Bureau
for Arab States, UNDP.
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9.00 – 11.00
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Thematic
Session 2: Strengthening Inclusive Governance and Sustaining Peace
This
session explores the structural fragilities that are linked to governance
gaps and/or the outbreak of conflict, which are inter-connected and which
result in various forms of humanitarian and developmental crises, including
but not limited to wide-ranging displacement. This includes various
political, economic and social issues that drive conflict as well as key gaps
that undermine governance systems in the region, such as limited
participation, ineffective public administration, weak rule of law and
systemic corruption. This session aims to have a forward-looking perspective
into how governments and non-governmental actors may cooperate to counteract
such fragilities with the aim of better addressing the region’s development
challenges that are often cross-border in nature with spillover effects. This
session’s dual focus on governance and peace allows participants to probe
into the underlying root causes of related fragilities and offer suggestions
for actions that national actors and the international development community
could support going forward in the framework of regional platforms for
inclusive governance reform and conflict management and peace-building.
Presenters:
·
Karam Karam, Regional Advisor, Emerging
and Conflict Related Issues Division, ESCWA
·
Mostafa Hunter, International Governance
Expert and President of Egyptian Health Governance and Transparency
Association
Discussants:
·
Hilda Ajeilat, Chairperson, Jordan
Transparency Center, Jordan
·
Dr. Nizar Barkouti - Director
General and Senior Governance Advisor – Office of the Head of Government,
Tunisia
·
Dr. Salem Al Dwili , Advisor,
Ministry of Economy and Planning, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
·
Mounia Terraz, Centre d etudes Féminines en Islam (CERFI),
Morocco
Moderator:
·
H.E. Ghassan Al Khatib –
former Minister of Information, Palestine
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11.15 – 13.15
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Thematic
Session 3: Engaging with and for women and youth
Programmatic
work needs to engage key stakeholders and benefit those who are most in need
of support. The Arab region’s total population has doubled since the 1980s
and exceeded 392 million in 2016. This trend is expected to continue in the
next few decades. In this context, the role of youth and women carry
particular significance across all thematic areas of work. On the one hand, 60%
of the region’s population is under the age of 30 and this percentage is expected
to grow further by 2025, adding pressure to the region’s economies to create
sufficient jobs and economic opportunities for them. On the other hand,
although women represent half of the region’s population, their political and
economic empowerment are generally assessed lower than elsewhere. Both that
may be depicted as challenges currently also equally offer a window of
opportunity to the economies and societies in the region. This session’s dual
focus on women and youth, with differentiated discussion on each, allows the
participants to deepen the thinking on the role of women and youth, both as
partners and as beneficiaries, in development work that aims to capitalize on
this window of opportunity.
Presenters:
·
Jad Chaaban, Team Leader,
2016 UNDP Arab Human Development Report on Youth, American University of Beirut
·
Blerta Aliko, ?Deputy Regional Director of Arab States, UN Women
Discussants:
·
Hibaaq
Osman, Founder and CEO, Karama
·
H.E. Asma Khader, President,
Sisterhood Is Global Institute, Jordan
·
Bader Zamareh, youth
representative, Palestine
·
Maha AlSalehi, youth representative, Yemen
Moderator:
·
H.E. Haifa Abu Ghazaleh, Assistant Secretary General, League of
Arab States
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