Business, economic, and political leaders from around the world gathered at a Jordanian resort near the Dead-Sea for the World Economic Forum on the Middle East and North Africa. During the opening session of the conference, U.N. Secretary General Antonio Guterres stressed the need for attaining a political solution to the decades-old Palestinian-Israeli conflict.
While Guterres confessed to the U.N.’S failure to bring about a negotiated solution, he reiterated the world body’s position in which only two states with Israelis and Palestinians living “side by side” could bring about peace and security.
On matters of economy, Jordan’s King Abdullah warned of the impact which the Middle East has on the entire world, and urged for an increase of global involvement “to create a platform for economic growth, private sector investment and productivity at every level.” with the aim of stabilizing the volatile region.