Holidaymakers and heavy armour

Visitors to the popular Egyptian town of Sharm El Sheikh this weekend could be forgiven for thinking they’ve landed at the wrong Red Sea resort.

The first incongruity is the fleet of armoured Humvees bristling alongside the runway as you land at Ophira Airport; the next probably the snipers on the terminal roof. Or perhaps the 70-tonne battle tank stationed obdurately in a short-term parking bay just outside.

As those who saw their cities paralysed by George W. Bush’s January tour will recall, the US president doesn’t ‘do’ low-key. And while there may be something slightly unnerving about snorkelling under the watchful eye of heavily armed Special Forces troops, the Egyptian security forces are taking no chances when it comes to the safety of this week’s special guest.

Sharm El Sheikh is in lock-down mode, and President Bush is just one of a number of high-profile visitors; one of 12 heads of state and government that will be welcomed by President Hosni Mubarak at the opening session of the World Economic Forum (WEF) on Sunday.

More than 1500 participants, including key heads of state and government, ministers, leading business figures and leaders from civil society and the media will take part in the meeting.

The forum, which closes Tuesday, will welcome leaders from more than 55 countries taking part. As well as holding talks with President Mubarak, President Bush will also have meetings with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas and H.M. King Abdullah Ibn Al Hussein of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. President Bush is in Egypt following visits to Saudi Arabia and to Israel.

The meeting in Sharm El Sheikh, held in partnership with the Government of Egypt, will have as its theme ‘Learning from the Future’.

A key pillar of the programme focuses on a series of futuristic scenarios that explore the impact of long-term global trends on the Middle East. It is designed to highlight the actions that need to be taken today to meet the challenges and opportunities for the region over the next 20 years.

A second pillar will feature sessions that leverage collaboration, networking and interaction between global leaders. According to the conference organisers, participants “will enjoy enhanced opportunities to interact directly with those excelling in their fields, gaining insight and forging partnerships through an exchange of ideas and practical experience”.

Sessions will range from age-old debates, to the latest hot topics - from food price inflation and sovereign wealth funds, to investment opportunities in the less well-known emerging economies of the region.

Last year’s WEF, on the shores of the Dead Sea in Jordan, saw Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, unveil his groundbreaking US$10bn education foundation - the benefits of which are already being felt across the Arab world.

Sheikh Mohammed’s munificence will be a hard act to follow, but there are enough rulers, policymakers and business leaders present to ensure that the next few days should hold a few surprises - not least for startled holidaymakers.

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