Human potential in MENA is remarkable: Atlantic Council President

Despite regional turmoil, there are two critical areas of focus to work on simultaneously.

Despite 2020 looking to be a year of volatility, the President and CEO of the Atlantic Council expressed his optimism at the "remarkable" human potential of the MENA region.
In statements ahead of the fourth annual Global Energy Forum in Abu Dhabi, Frederick Kempe noted that despite regional turmoil, there are two critical areas of focus to work on simultaneously.
"One of them is to reduce conflict, to wind down the tensions of the region. But at the same time, you have to unlock the remarkable human potential of the Middle East and the GCC," he said.
He told the Emirates News Agency (WAM), his predictions for 2020, noting that it would be a volatile year, particularly in the energy industry.

"Geopolitical uncertainty will play a larger role on energy prices this year," Kempe added.
Reflecting on 2019 events, he noted, "It's remarkable that energy prices have remained so low through everything we've gone through - Iranian sanctions, Libyan turmoil, Iraqi uncertainty."
However, he added, "despite all that and partly because of the glut of oil we've had on the market, and the US oil and gas production, we've kept prices remarkably stable for a long period of time."
"I think the big question is can that hold out in 2020," he continued.
"You see prices rise by four percent when you get into a crisis, suddenly it seems as we're in a de-escalatory phase if prices drop by five percent, and I think that's what we're going to see."
Commenting on recent US-Iran tensions, and their impact on clean energy transitions, Kempe said, "A lot of people are focusing on the wrong lessons from the last few days. No doubt, there's been a lot of tension.
"No doubt there was, for a period of time, increased risk of violent conflict. On the other hand, both parties stood back from that," he added.
"No one in the region wants an escalation of the current tensions," he stressed, adding, "Everyone that participated in de-escalating came to that. I think that's promising."
"I think all parties see no gain in war. The US doesn't see any gain, Iran doesn't see any gain; certainly, the Arab and GCC countries don't see any gain," the Atlantic Council President emphasised.
When asked to comment on how GCC countries, like the UAE, can play a role in the 2020 energy agenda, Kempe said, "If you look at the GDP of this region, and if you took the size of the Middle East population and put it anywhere in the world, you would have three times the GDP."
World Bank figures indicate the GDP figures for the Middle East and North Africa reached $3.611 trillion in 2018.
"So imagine how much low-hanging fruit there is here and how much opportunity there is," he said.
According to the International Renewable Energy Agency, IRENA, figures, the adoption of renewable energy technologies created 11 million new jobs at the end of 2018.
When asked to comment on how countries and international bodies can partner further to see effective climate action, Kempe revealed that through the Council's Adrienne Arsht Centre for Resilience, the MidEast Centre, and the Rockefeller Foundation, a new initiative will see one billion individuals become resilient to climate change, tensions and crises.
More details on the announcement will be made as part of Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week 2020 next week.
The Atlantic Council Global Energy Forum is an international gathering of government, industry, and thought leaders to set the energy agenda for the year.
Taking place in the UAE capital ?from January 10-12?, the 2020 iteration of the forum will focus on three key themes: the role of the oil and gas industry in the energy transition, financing the future of energy and interconnections in a new era of geopolitics.

• UAE