The 7th Arabia CSR Forum, being held in Dubai this month, will focus on the Arab Sustainable Development Agenda and its priorities.

The theme of the event, ‘Accelerating the Arab Sustainable Development Agenda Through Innovation and Collaboration’ will reflect on key issues and give out a call to action in the region.

The forum will be held on October 19 and 20 at the Steigenberger Hotel in Dubai, UAE.

Taking place annually for the past six years, the forum has become known all over the region and even beyond as a platform that promotes latest thinking and current philosophies around CSR and sustainability.

Habiba Al Marashi, chairperson of Arabia CSR Network, pointed out that the forum will address four sessions. The first will focus on the current state of sustainability in the Arab world in the wake of the Millennium Development Goals, and what are the most pressing development priorities in light of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The second session will dwell on partnerships for the SDGs; enhancing Corporate Social Responsibility for policy coherence and resilient collaborations. Specifically, this will discourse policy coherence with the SDGs from a global perspective; evaluate if extractive industries support the SDGs from a regional perspective and study the business case for Arab collaborations.

The third session will be on “interdependencies and disparities between private, public and civil society collaborators". It will look into what extent businesses in the region are equipped with knowledge and awareness of the post 2015 development agenda? Further, bridging the gap between expectations and reality: what is the role of each key stakeholder state and non-state player in the Arab sustainability scene?

The fourth session will focus on the nexus of youth, innovation and social enterprise. Primarily, “what is the role of academia in developing the capacity of Arab youth to innovate and collaborate towards inclusive sustainable development?” and what are “the new and appropriate business models and technologies” needed to do so.

The forum therefore promises to be a great opportunity to gain firsthand knowledge about all the key issues within CSR and sustainability that people in the region should be cognizant of.

It will bring together 25 thought leaders, government and business leaders, UN officials and youth spokespersons. Some of the acclaimed speakers will be Dr Mohammed bin Ibrahim At-Twaijri, assistant undersecretary general of economic affairs from the League of Arab States; Saeed Al Tayer, managing director and chief executive officer of Dewa, Dr Iyad Abumoghli from Unep Rowa; Dr Abdullah Al Dardari, deputy executive secretary at UN Escwa; Professor Jeffrey Sachs, director of the Earth Institute, Columbia University; Dr Shahira Wahbi, chief of sustainable development and international cooperation at the League of Arab States, among many others.

The Forum is being organised by Arabia CSR Network, the leading think tank and training centre based in the UAE, under the patronage of the League of Arab States and supported by the United Nations Environment Program.  - TradeArabia News Service