Sheikh Hamdan approves Board of Directors of Young Arab Leaders initiative

Dubai: Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence of the UAE, and Chairman of The Executive Council of Dubai, today approved the formation of the Board of Directors of the Young Arab Leaders initiative, naming 11 leading and influential Arab figures from diverse fields to propel it forward.

“These Arab leaders will oversee the expansion of the initiative in the next phase, lead its projects to fruition, grow the number of members and affiliates in this network, attract the best of emerging Arab talent, and support them to contribute more significantly to shaping the future of our Arab societies,” he said.

Leading the way

The Board of Directors of the Young Arab Leaders initiative is chaired by Khalfan Juma Belhoul, CEO of Dubai Future Foundation, and includes prominent figures from across the region such as Sheikh Abdulla bin Khalifa Al Khalifa (Bahrain), Dr. Tamam Menko (Jordan), Fahad AlGhanim (Kuwait), Aïssata Lam (Mauritania), Ibrahim Mohtaseb (Saudi Arabia), Mona Ataya (Palestine), Basil El-Baz (Egypt), Yazen Altimimi (Iraq), Nasser Al-Khater (Qatar), and Sami Daud (Oman). Additionally, Fatma Rashid Bujsaim has been appointed as the Secretary-General of the initiative.

Future plans

The initiative aims to attract 50,000 participants over the coming period and develop and implement several future projects and inspiring ideas with Arab youth. This will be achieved through the creation of a network of influential businesspeople and exceptional leaders in their respective fields to support, mentor, and guide young Arabs. The initiative will also leverage the skills and expertise of members from the regional Young Arab Leaders network to inspire and empower future leaders.

Sheikh Hamdan emphasised that the Young Arab Leaders initiative, launched 20 years ago, embodies the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, and His Highness’s unwavering belief in the capability of Arab youth to shape the region’s future. The initiative aims to prepare young leaders to sustain the Arab world’s development aspirations and safeguard its civilisational legacies.

He added: “We want this initiative to be a platform to realise the aspirations and dreams of Arab youth, reenacting the region’s golden era in the vanguard of science, culture, technology, and intellectual endeavour. We will support these young Arab leaders to inspire a positive change in Arab societies so that their future will be better and brighter.

He said, “His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum believes that our Arab region possesses tremendous potential, with its 200 million young men and women constituting 200 million opportunities to design and shape a prosperous future. They are our most valuable resource, which calls for building capacities, honing skills, and providing opportunities to realise the hidden potential of youth by providing a comprehensive platform to empower them. Youth are the main pillar of all efforts to shape the Arab world’s future, and their active involvement is crucial in driving positive transformations toward growth, progress, stability, and prosperity.”

Sheikh Hamdan added: “We look forward to this initiative inspiring remarkable accomplishments through its various skill development programmes for the youth and the opportunities it provides for them to showcase their abilities to innovate and succeed across diverse fields.”

The Young Arab Leaders initiative is considered the largest specialised network aimed at supporting promising Arab youth and instilling in them a culture of entrepreneurship, belief in the future, and relentless pursuit of knowledge, thus strengthening comprehensive development plans across the region.