Majid Jafar

“The defining moment for the Gulf was its evolution from an exporter of resources to an exporter of confidence. Three decades ago, the region was mainly an energy supplier; today, it stands as a global hub for finance, technology, logistics, innovation, as well as energy. By attracting investors and entrepreneurs, offering regulatory clarity and institutional stability, and developing the region’s human capacity the Gulf has diversified its economies and strengthened their resilience.

The Gulf’s greatest opportunity in the coming decades is to be a platform economy positioned uniquely at the crossroads of Asia, Africa, and Europe, and connecting global markets through finance, technology, and talent, in addition to trade and energy.

Human capital will be the region’s greatest competitive advantage. Infrastructure can be built in years; developing leaders, scientists, entrepreneurs, and innovators takes generations. The Gulf already has a head start by investing in the capabilities of future generations.”