Dubai School of Government (DSG) has signed an MoU with Institution Quraysh for Law & Policy (iQ) to promote good governance and public policy in the Arab world.

The agreement outlines a three-year strategy for ‘Arab Governance Project’, which will facilitate a rare forum for dialogue and an open and collegial exchange of ideas, said Dr Tarik Yousef, dean of DSG, after signing the deal with Malik R. Dahlan, principal of iQ.

The MoU will also facilitate assessment from a new perspective on the governance issues common throughout the region through writing of policy briefs and articles, said Dr Yousef.

“The partnership represents an opportunity to debate new ways of tackling long-standing challenges in the region. The shared commitment between our institutions will help provide guidance on good governance measures, and contribute to efforts at regional transformation,” he added.

Under the project, high-profile events will be held twice a year in Dubai and London. The inaugural roundtable event is scheduled for November 28 at the Dubai School of Government.

It will be followed by the World Economic Forum’s summit on the global agenda from November 29 to December 1 in Dubai, said a DSG statement.

Regionalism in Arab and Middle Eastern states will be the focus of the roundtable’s programme that will include an examination of common experiences, challenges and solutions, it stated.

In addition to governance at the national level, distinguished speakers and panellists will discuss the scope for positive engagement between the countries in areas such as water security, channelling investment, energy, conflict prevention, and defining a regional identity.

The MoU will also assist DSG and iQ to jointly encourage the development of fresh solutions to issues facing governance in the Arab world by combining the thinking, expertise, and experiences of scholars, economists, legal and policy specialists, and government officials, the statement added.

Malik Dahlan said both iQ and DSG believe passionately in the need for a new approach to regionalism and governance.

The current state of affairs in the region, and indeed internationally, will make the discussion of these matters all the more relevant. We look forward to the inaugural debate in November.”

In the run-up to the inaugural roundtable on 28 November, DSG and iQ will announce further details on the agenda and the participants.

Established in 2005 in co-operation with the Harvard Kennedy School, the Dubai School of Government is committed to the creation of knowledge, dissemination of global best practices and the training of policy makers in the Arab world.

Focused on capacity building, the school conducts various programmes to promote good governance through enhancing the region’s capacity for effective public policy.-TradeArabia News Service