The First Annual WANA Forum

In April 2009, decision-makers and civil society actors from all over the region and beyond will come together in Amman to launch the first annual West Asia - North Africa (WANA) Forum in an effort to build trust and work toward a better future. This initiative, supported by the Nippon Foundation, will enable people to define and prioritize common challenges and to devise viable, sustainable and home-grown solutions.

The region of West Asia and North Africa is home to some of the earliest and most advanced civilizations. Today, the WANA region seldom makes news headlines except in the context of destruction and violent conflict that has led to the suffering and destitution of millions.

Notwithstanding the serious threat these struggles pose to human security, everyday challenges such as poverty, unemployment, inaccessible and inadequate healthcare and education, environmental degradation and major water shortages, are also impediments to development.

These pressing issues demand urgent action. At present, they are not being effectively addressed at the regional level, due in part to the absence of regional multilateral cooperation and a preoccupation with difference and strife. The people of WANA deserve a collective effort to address shared concerns and cannot wait until ongoing conflicts are resolved.

The WANA region has for centuries been one of the strategic centres of world trade. It has a wealth of natural resources and industrious people, who share a common heritage enriched by diverse cultures, ethnicities and faiths. To move forward, we need collaboration at all levels.

The WANA Forum has the potential to become a regional movement, uniting people across the region in a joint endeavour that overcomes difference, through cooperation and common action.

HRH Prince El Hassan bin Talal, the Chairperson of the WANA Forum, will address the Opening message, followed by Yohei Sasakawa, Chairperson of the Nippon Foundation, and the President Martti Ahtisaari, former President of Finland and Nobel Peace Prize Laureate.

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Objectives of the 2009 WANA FORUM:
1. Fostering collaboration between Forum Members
2. Motivating Forum Members to commit to a long-term process
3. Identifying the first themes for the WANA Forum to work on

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Logistics:
A representative from the office of HRH Prince El Hassan will be at the airport assisting WANA Forum participants with visas, customs and other procedures. As guests of the Royal Hashemite Court, they will be receiving a gratis visa upon their arrival at Queen Alia International Airport in Amman.

Majlis El Hassan 

WANA Forum: Building trust together

WANA countries call for continued collaboration to tackle common economic, social and environmental challenges