Conference on Enhancing Competitiveness of Arab Economies at the Lebanese American University... Minister Al-Bassat: Lebanon Works on Energy, Transport, and Trade Axes

The 19th Scientific Conference of the Arab Association for Economic Research was inaugurated at the Lebanese American University (LAU) under the patronage of Prime Minister Nawaf Salam. The conference was held under the theme: "Enhancing the Competitiveness of Arab Economies Amid Regional and International Developments." The conference was organized and co-hosted alongside the university, represented by the Adnan Kassar School of Business, by the Arab Association for Economic Research and the Arab Planning Institute - Kuwait, with support from the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom (Germany) and Faisal Islamic Bank of Egypt. The conference concluded with the launch of the "Arab Development Report 2025 - Ninth Edition."

The opening ceremony was attended by the Minister of Economy and Trade Dr. Amer Al-Bassat representing the Prime Minister, former Minister May Chidiac, Egyptian Ambassador to Lebanon Alaa Moussa, Chairman of the Arab Association for Economic Research Dr. Mahmoud Mohieldin, Director General of the Arab Planning Institute - Kuwait Dr. Adel Al-Wuqayan, President of the Lebanese American University Dr. Shouki Abdullah, Dean of the School of Business Dr. Dima Jamali, along with economic figures, professors, and researchers. The conference began with a presentation by Dr. Ali Faqih, Professor of Economics and Associate Dean at the Adnan Kassar School of Business at LAU, who chaired the conference and opened it by outlining its objectives and purpose, thanking those who contributed to its success and preparation. He stated that today we face a world undergoing rapid and unprecedented transformations, from structural changes in global value chains, the rise of digital technologies and artificial intelligence, to environmental pressures and the necessities of green transition, increasing challenges related to food security and energy, as well as geopolitical shifts reshaping the global economic landscape. These transformations place a shared responsibility on us to reinvent growth models in our Arab countries, develop more dynamic policy-making approaches, and enhance competitiveness in both public and private sectors, making scientific research, regional cooperation, and open dialogue between experts and decision-makers a fundamental pillar to drive our region toward a more prosperous and sustainable future.

University President Dr. Abdullah welcomed the participants and specifically thanked Dean Jamali and her team for their efforts. He noted that the region, the world, and Lebanon in particular are going through deep economic, geopolitical, and technological transformations. He considered that rapid changes are testing our traditional development models and their timelines, revealing structural weaknesses. This, in his view, pushes toward new paths to advance competitiveness, resilience, and shared prosperity. Dr. Abdullah added that prosperity must be shared among countries. He stressed the need to restore competitiveness because old methods no longer work in global markets. He saw a new global system reshaping strategic options available to Arab countries. He called for a transition to clean energy, industrial development, logistics services, global value chains, and preparing labor markets for a world redefined by green technologies and artificial intelligence, involving decision-makers and policy-makers in this process and relying on experts to help understand and shape it. Dr. Abdullah spoke about the great responsibility on universities to contribute to dialogues through experts and students, saying: "We are proud that LAU researchers and supervisors have joined this program, reflecting our belief that universities should be platforms for open research and critical thinking."

Dean of the School of Business Dr. Dima Jamali delivered a welcoming speech, describing the conference as not just an ordinary meeting but reflecting a shared commitment to reform based on regional cooperation and the pursuit of resilient and competitive economies. Regarding Lebanon, she saw the path to rebuilding trust, attracting investment, restoring productive capacity, and creating decent jobs as central to the conference's theme. She said, "Hosting the conference at our university is extremely important to us because we want to be more than just a platform for academic excellence; we want to be a platform for evidence-based policies, precise economic research, and purposeful collaboration across sectors." She thanked the Economics Department in the school that organized the conference, especially Dr. Ali Faqih, Dr. Jamal Haidar, Chair of the Economics Department, and all faculty members.

Minister of Economy and Trade Dr. Amer Al-Bassat, in his speech, stated that Beirut will remain a beacon for dialogue and a bridge for ambitious ideas. He viewed the conference as a declaration of a shared will that our region can be at the heart of global developments, not on their margins. He pointed out that the world is changing rapidly thanks to the digital revolution and artificial intelligence, and that the green transition imposes new standards for investment and creates opportunities for renewable energy and the circular economy. Al-Bassat added, "The reshaping of global governance repositions our region to connect Europe, Asia, and Africa." He emphasized that competitiveness is not a luxury but a condition for survival at the core of the economy, and that Lebanon desires to be an active part of Arab integration and to be included in the global economy. He identified three main axes Lebanon is working on: 1- Energy: by connecting Lebanon to Arab electricity and energy networks and investing in renewable energies to be an active player in the green transition. 2- Transport: by developing infrastructure and linking Lebanon to regional hubs to make Beirut a natural station for trade and services. 3- Trade: by unifying procedures and standards and expanding development opportunities to make Lebanon a platform for exchange and openness. He concluded that Lebanon seeks to be a bridge for energy, a transit route for transport, and a platform for trade.

Director General of the Arab Planning Institute in Kuwait Dr. Adel Al-Wuqayan addressed the issue of development in the Arab world, presenting figures showing declining growth rates, rising unemployment and inflation rates alongside an increase in the Arab world's population to 493 million. He raised questions about the reasons for income disparities between Arab countries and differences in their economies due to known factors and some countries being mired in conflicts. He concluded by hoping to reach solutions that contribute to the prosperity of Arab countries. He also pointed out that some countries still suffer from internal conflicts that hinder development despite efforts to support it. At the end of his intervention, he posed questions about the reasons for this disparity in economic performance, hoping that the conference discussions would help propose practical solutions to enhance development and support the prosperity of Arab countries amid regional and international developments.

Mr. Christoph Kleemann, Project Manager for Lebanon and Syria at the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom (Germany), explained the reasons for his foundation's support for the conference. He saw that pressures from an unstable environment affect the Arab region, where labor markets struggle to employ youth, integrate into global production networks, and face high public debt. He noted that non-Gulf economies face more urgent financial and social constraints. Nevertheless, many fundamental structural issues are shared and shape the region's long-term prospects. He cited economist Adam Smith, stating that societies prosper through exchange, not isolation. He considered that investments in education and skills reflect the needs of modern labor markets, and that reducing trade barriers would help companies access new markets and expand production.

Dr. Mahmoud Mohieldin, Chairman of the Arab Association for Economic Research, delivered a speech explaining the association's role in bringing together experts and specialists in the field of economics. He spoke about the state of the European Union, comparing it with the economies of the United States and China in development, energy, and defense sectors. He pointed to the urgent need to invest in competitive industrial policies and mobilize capabilities to increase productivity and improve governance standards. Mohieldin considered that several Arab economies suffer from weakness compared to other Arab countries that have achieved successes. He stressed that the world is undergoing a period of intense change and that geopolitical conflicts have their causes and social and political consequences. He emphasized the importance of recommendations for Arab competitiveness, bridging economic gaps between Arab countries, and an Arab agenda to move from crisis management to future-making.