Capital Club hosts forum on the “Arab Spring”: Past, Present and Future

Capital Club Dubai, the region's premier private business club and a member of the ENSHAA group of companies, today hosted a forum on what has been dubbed the “Arab Spring” – a time of blooming and awakening from a slumber, an extraordinary few weeks which has seen the fall and exile of Tunisia’s Ben Ali, the departure of Egypt’s Hosni Mubarak, civil unrest in Bahrain and Yemen, and cruel oppression in Libya. Protests have been seen, too, in several other Arab countries. But why now, and what is it all really about? These are the questions the forum was put together to address, and the Capital Club, which has become the pre-eminent venue for meetings of the region’s opinion-makers and powerbrokers in Dubai, stepped forward to put the discussion together.

The forum was a vibrant and at times heated exchange of ideas. Moderated by Emirati commentator Mishaal Al Gergawi, speakers included Simon Williams (HSBC’s Chief Economist for the entire region), Hazem Janahi from Bahrain – a serial entrepreneur, director of Gulf Air, and founder of Vanguard – and Walid Bakr from Egypt – principal of Riyada Enterprise Development, an SME investment platform initiated by Abraaj Capital

Together, these influential speakers representing different sectors, perspectives and countries, addressed burning issues:

What are we actually witnessing right now, a demand for democracy, or for just better governments - free of cronyism and corruption, and with more social justice

To what extent is the uprising a generational issue – a demand by the enormous population of Arab youth for leadership more generationally in tune with their needs and aspirations?

How much of this is about women’s demand for a real stake in their future, not just being placated with words like equality?

What happens next? How does it affect geopolitics, regional stability, international relations and trade, and how long will it take to play out?

Guy Guillemard, Co-founder of Capital Club, believed the event was a successful and important addition to the regional debate. “What is being called an ‘Arab Spring’ might just as well – seeing events in Japan – be called an ‘Arab Tsunami’: with the region being reshaped almost overnight”. He added, “Having this excellent panel of speakers discuss these issues with Capital Club guests and members was intriguing, and we look forward to hosting similar such events in the future”.