Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and Syrian President Bashar Assad (AP)
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, prime minister and vice president of the United Arab Emirates, & ruler of Dubai, World Economic Forum, May 19, 2007:
“There is a wide knowledge gap between us and the developed world the west, our only option is to bridge this gap as quickly as possible because our age is defined by knowledge and it determines our country’s position in terms of weakness and strength, progress and backwardness, effectiveness and stagnation, wealth and poverty and the ability to seize opportunities or waste such opportunities. We have to prove that the misconception that the Arabs always waste opportunities, we have to seize opportunities, we must turn this into mammoth achievements.
"As for knowledge, the challenge that the region faces is not just confined to lack of knowledge but exceeds this to shortage or deficiency in the provision of an environment conducive to knowledge or preparing human capital in this respect.
"…nations always stand up to their challenges… we have never given in to despair. There is always a way out with hope…
"Our world, our Arab world, is rich in opportunities and potentialities… our heritage promotes creativity and innovation. And we have adequate vision, management and achievements that helps us move ahead. And we have the young Arab world, most of which is under 20 years old. It is up to us to motivate them to explore the unknown. They could turn into an asset, or they could turn into a burden, but our duty is to make them an asset to themselves, their nation and the region. This is the duty of our governments, we have to empower the individual to help themselves and we have to encourage people to be productive and innovative."
