As the world rallies out of the pandemic and a global economic slowdown, frontier technologies such as artificial intelligence are promising to unlock $18.8 trillion in economic value by 2030 by boosting productivity, efficiency, and innovation. How can we navigate this transformation to accelerate sustainable growth while mitigating the attendant risks?

 

In partnership with: Ministry of Finance and World Economic Forum

Digital platforms have transformed how the world engages with political crises and social movements. This panel brings together influential voices across a wide range of sectors to examine how digital platforms have reshaped public engagement. Against the backdrop of recent global events, the panel will explore the growing power of digital platforms while confronting their limitations, from content moderation to the phenomenon of "slacktivism." The session will assess the real-world impact of digital advocacy and investigate why certain crises capture widespread attention online while others remain underreported. 

 

In partnership with: International Media Office

Today’s geopolitical challenges require new thinking and diplomatic approaches such as flexible and inclusive strategies, leveraging advanced technologies, and applying creative solutions.  Unlike traditional diplomacy, which often relies on formal protocols, bilateral negotiations, and the promotion of specific ideologies, innovative approaches to diplomacy transcend traditional Western and non-Western divides.  It embraces diverse actors, digital platforms, and collaborative initiatives to foster dialogue, build consensus, and achieve shared goals. Through virtual summits, digital platforms, and citizen engagement, it promotes transparency, inclusivity, and participatory global governance. This empowers non-state actors, facilitates rapid communication and information sharing, and enables a more agile response to crises, including humanitarian emergencies, peacebuilding efforts, climate change, global health threats, and economic development. This panel in partnership with Konrad Adenauer Stiftung and The Institute for International Political Studies (ISPI) will illuminate different innovative diplomatic practices, examining the foreign policies of Qatar, Germany, Italy, and UAE. 

 

In partnership with: Center for International Policy Research, Konrad Adenauer Stiftung and Italian Institute for International Political Studies 

As global crises become more complex, humanitarian diplomacy plays a crucial role in negotiating aid delivery and protecting civilians in conflict zones. However, its effectiveness is often hampered by disorganization and a lack of a cohesive framework. The need for a structured approach, such as an international humanitarian diplomacy charter, is growing. This charter could establish clear guidelines, improve coordination, and promote cooperation among international actors, enhancing the global response to humanitarian needs. The panel will discuss the challenges facing humanitarian diplomacy that a charter could address, outline the steps necessary to achieve international consensus and propose strategies to enhance humanitarian efforts through training, research, and collaboration. 

 

In partnership with: Qatar Red Crescent Society 

The world is plagued by a multitude of protracted armed conflicts not seen in decades: From Ukraine to Sudan and from the Middle East to Myanmar, civilian lives are being devastated, often by violations of international humanitarian law. At such a time, the international community must not become numb to these violations but hold perpetrators accountable. However, the mechanisms to do so are under increasing scrutiny as conflicts grow more complex and geopolitics come into play. The International Criminal Court and the International Court of Justice are central to upholding international humanitarian law, but both face challenges related to jurisdiction and enforcement. Their legitimacy is also under fire as criticisms of bias and double standards are levied from different sides. Current conflicts also highlight the issue of holding non-state actors to account and how to create mechanisms to do so. At the same time, protecting civilians from further violations and ensuring humanitarian access in conflict zones remain critical challenges, as seen in many current conflicts. This panel will examine how humanitarian law can be upheld through enforcement and accountability, while also exploring political avenues to better protect civilians from immediate harm.

 

In partnership with: Munich Security Conference 

In the midst of regional volatility, roiling politics, a shifting economic and technological landscape, and disruptive and new regional alliances, questions are mounting over the future of US strategy in the Middle East under President-elect Trump. Washington, considered the main security partner by regional powers, is under increasing pressure to also help drive stability and set clearer goals for its forthcoming policy in the Middle East. The devastation of the Israel-Hamas war and the humanitarian crisis it has wrought in Gaza sustained,  heightened tensions between Israel and its Western and Iran, and the commercial implications of non-state actors such as the Houthis will immediately impact and challenge the Trump administration’s approach to regional crises demanding attention. Prior to the October 7 Hamas terrorist attack on Israel, the US priority in the Middle East was increasing ties and alliances between Arab states and Israel to usher in a new era of strategic advantage for the US in a more peaceful region that would also enable Washington sufficient bandwidth to focus on the rising challenge of the People’s Republic of China. That goal, despite the current conflict, remains very much alive for President-elect Trump, who will almost also certainly seek to advance the Abraham Accords, counter Iran’s influence, and bolster a regional coalition as the strategy and main foundation for long-term peace. Will the Trump administration seek to resolve the conflict in Gaza, and if so, how? Of it does not prioritize so, what are the implications for Palestine, Israel, and the region? What will be President-elect Trump’s strategic approach to the region, and will his original term be at all a model for this new one? Is a political solution for Israel-Palestine further or closer than ever and what role should the US be playing to foster one? What do regional states want from the US under a second Trump administration?  And is the expansion of the Abraham Accords contingent on such a solution?

 

In partnership with: Atlantic Council 

The session will be guided by Dr. Safwan Masri, Dean of Georgetown University in Qatar.