Hili Forum 2026: Registration opens, 60 speakers, 35+ nations

The Emirates Policy Center and the Anwar Gargash Diplomatic Academy have announced the opening of registration for the third edition of the annual Hili Forum, taking place in Abu Dhabi on September 7 and 8, 2026, under the theme “The Gulf at a Crossroads: Conflict, Consequences and Course Correction.”

The forum will be held at The St. Regis Saadiyat Island Resort, Abu Dhabi, bringing together leading policymakers, experts, academics, diplomats, thought leaders and business figures from the UAE, the region and around the world to explore major regional and global transformations and their implications for the Gulf.

The organisers have invited members of the community — particularly academics, researchers, students and others with an interest in strategic affairs — to register to attend the forum’s sessions and strategic dialogues.

Registration and further information are available through the forum’s Arabic registration page at hiliforum.ae/ar⁠ and its English registration page at hiliforum.ae/en⁠.

The third edition of the forum is expected to bring together more than 60 speakers and over 1,000 participants from more than 35 countries, including senior officials, decision-makers, diplomats, experts, intellectuals, academics, business leaders, representatives of international organisations and think tanks from the UAE, the region and beyond.

Among the prominent speakers scheduled to participate are Dr Anwar Gargash, Diplomatic Adviser to the UAE President; Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi, Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC); Dr Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, Minister of Foreign Trade; Carl Bildt, former Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Sweden; Vuk Jeremić, former Foreign Minister of Serbia; Yoo Jae-sung, former Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to the UAE; Lieutenant General Stefano Mannino, President of the Italian Centre for Higher Defence Studies; and Jean-Yves Le Gall, former President of the International Astronautical Federation.

The forum’s agenda is structured around three main pillars: geopolitics, geoeconomics and geotechnology.

This year’s discussions will examine the options available to Gulf states as they navigate an increasingly complex strategic environment, with a focus on building a more stable and resilient regional order, strengthening crisis-management capabilities and developing new strategic balances.

Sessions will also explore the future of security frameworks and deterrence policies, the security of vital maritime routes, and ways to strengthen the resilience of supply chains, trade and energy systems.

The forum will further examine the growing role of middle powers in shaping the next phase of globalisation and the international order.

The forum’s theme reflects the need to reassess many traditional assumptions surrounding security, cooperation and global governance, while highlighting the importance of anticipating future developments and developing practical solutions and pathways to help course-correct unfolding events.

It also seeks to identify and capitalise on new opportunities emerging from regional and international transformations, while fostering strategic thinking on the challenges and possibilities that will shape the future of the Gulf and the wider international system.

Arabic registration: hiliforum.ae/ar⁠

English registration: hiliforum.ae/en⁠

Official website: Hili Forum 2026⁠