Gulf strategic conference addresses confronting regional shifts and challenges

According to Dr. Mohammed Abdul Ghaffar, Advisor to HM the King for Diplomatic Affairs, and Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Bahrain Centre for Strategic and International Studies and Energy (Derasat), the Gulf Strategic Conference organized by the Centre on the current October 29th will seek to address strategic issues of concern to the GCC states and the Arab World. This is carried out in the light of the regional and international variables, and the relations of GCC states with the active powers in the region, and the partnership between the GCC states and the major countries. Dr Mohammed Abdul Ghaffar highlighted that the successful and active regional and international blocs work within clear strategic frameworks, pointing out the need for a formulation of a concept special for the GCC states, that reflects its security problems, and ensures their security, stability, progress and achieves prosperity to their peoples. Dr. Mohammed Abdul Ghaffar said “Bahrain Centre for Strategic and International Studies and Energy (BCSISE) was keen to invite elite international figures, in addition to a number of intellectuals, academics and prominent researchers to enrich the conference and ensure coming out with realistic and practical ideas. Those ideas contribute in clearly understanding the Arab world and the world beyond it, which will help in knowing about the challenges and dangers facing the region in the light of the chronic regional instability. It is decided that the works of the conference which is organized by the Centre “Derasat” will kick off on the current October 29th, and will last for two years with participation of Arab and International figures. The researchers participating in the conference will present their views on the variables of the Arab World since 2011 till now and their outcomes, in addition to discussing the issues of the emergence of the extremist religious cross-border organizations. The researchers will also address the problems of the civil state in the light of the rise of the movements of Political Islam and the security challenges facing countries of North Africa.