2010 MENA World Economic Forum

  From October 26 to 28 leaders and decision makers from around the Middle East and North Africa will descend on Marrakech for the 2010 World Economic Forum (WEF) on the MENA. The theme of the conference is “Purpose, Resilience and Prosperity.” To get an idea of what will be on the agenda; Executive had a chat with the World Economic Forum’s Middle East and North Africa Senior Director Sherif el-Diwany to get his insights on the issues affecting regional development. E  The WEF Competitiveness Index shows wide disparities between oil producing nations and non-oil producing nations in the Middle East. What is the root of this problem and can the difference ever be made up as long as oil continues to provide the bulk of the region’s wealth? One has to point out the fact that the Gulf states — but not all oil rich countries because you have