The Arab Federation for Digital Economy participated in the Hili 2026 Forum, which was held at the St. Regis Hotel on Saadiyat Island in Abu Dhabi under the title “The Gulf at a Crossroads: Conflict, Repercussions, and Course Correction,” organized by the Emirates Center for Strategic Studies and Research and the Anwar Gargash Diplomatic Academy.
The forum was attended by a number of senior officials, decision-makers, diplomats, experts and academics, including His Excellency Dr. Anwar bin Mohammed Gargash, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Anwar Gargash Diplomatic Academy, His Excellency Dr. Sultan Mohammed Al Nuaimi, Director General of the Emirates Center for Strategic Studies and Research, Mr. Nikolay Mladenov, Director General of the Anwar Gargash Diplomatic Academy, along with His Excellency Jassim Mohammed Al Badawi, Secretary General of the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf, and a number of officials, political and diplomatic figures and experts from the region and the world and leaders of the Arab Federation for Digital Economy.
The forum addressed a number of geopolitical, geoeconomic and geotechnological issues that are directly related to the future of the digital economy , in light of the increasing role of technology, data and digital infrastructure in global trade, supply chains, financial services, communications and energy.
The discussions confirmed that the geopolitical shifts and crises in the region do not only affect security and political aspects, but also extend directly to the digital economy, through their impact on the movement of digital trade, the continuity of supply chains, the security of communication networks and data centers, digital infrastructure, as well as investments in artificial intelligence and advanced technologies.
The forum also discussed the importance of building economies that are more resilient to global crises and changes, through the development of a flexible digital infrastructure, diversification of trade and supply routes, protection of data and networks, and investment in modern technologies, in order to support the continuity of digital businesses and services and maintain the ability of Arab economies to grow in a rapidly changing international environment.
The Federation’s participation in the forum stems from its interest in following international transformations that affect the course of the Arab digital economy, and linking geopolitical and geoeconomic developments to future trends in digitization, artificial intelligence, digital trade and technological infrastructure.
