13/05/2009
The 27th session for the Global Understanding Council being hosted by King Abdullah Economic City (KAEC) in Rabigh at the headquarters of the Saudi Arabian General Investment Authority (SAGIA) began on May 10, 2009. Prince Saud Al-Faisal, Minister of Foreign Affairs, opened the session attended by over 200 leading international and Saudi political and economic personalities, including 28 former heads of state and prime ministers. A communiqué will be issued at the end of the 4 day session to be named as King Abdullah Economic City Declaration.
The meeting featured the keynote address of Helmut Schmidt, former chancellor of Germany, whose uncompromising assessment of the present state of the world centered on the current financial crisis but took in concerns as diverse as the “clash of civilizations,” an arms race in space and an enduring solution to the Palestine-Israel problem. He described Saudi Arabia as an important country and one of the few moderate states in its region. He insisted that the Kingdom should be invited to all major economic summits, praising Saudi participation in recent summits in Washington and London.
Khalid Al-Faisal addressed the members of the Council saying: "As you know we are gathered in a place built by the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Abdullah ibn Abdul-Aziz, which was designed to serve the people of this country and all mankind."
Addressing the delegates, former Swedish Prime Minsiter Ingvar Carlsson, who serves as the Council’s Assistant President, praised the Custodian of the Holy Mosques King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz for hosting the meeting.
Former Canadian Premier and Council Associate President Jean Cretin expressed hope that the meeting would yield substantive results that contribute to peace and stability in the world.
For his part, Saudi Arabian General Investment Authority (SAGIA) Governor Amr Al-Dabbagh stressed that the Kingdom has always promoted peace, security and stability in the world, noting that long-term Saudi oil policies have ensured the growth the of the global economy.
