Description
Presentation from the Proquest Middle East Academic Libraries Symposium 2013. Keynote 1, 10.00am - 11.00am, Oct 23, Lecture Hall B
Abstract
The Middle East region is being rocked by political turmoil and violence. But dig beneath the headlines and it is clear that, while some countries are suffering greatly and their economic and political outlook is dark, others remain vibrant sources of growth. How vulnerable are these more uplifting stories to contagion from the Syria and Egypt? Will tensions over Iran's nuclear programme ease or increase, and what does this mean for the rest of the region? Can smaller Middle East countries carve out a role for themselves in the global economy which moves beyond hydrocarbons to broader based sources of income and growth? What role can education and research play in that economic development process, and what opportunities does the advent of the knowledge and digital economy provide for Middle Eastern states? Robin Bew, Managing Director of The Economist Intelligence Unit, will share his views on these issues and take questions from the floor.