UAE BARQ برق الإمارات – نبضك
The third edition of Hili Forum 2026 opened today in Abu Dhabi under the theme “Gulf at Crossroads: Conflict, Consequences and Course Correction”.
The forum is organised by the Emirates Center for Strategic Studies and Research (ECSSR) and the Anwar Gargash Diplomatic Academy (AGDA), with the participation of leading decision-makers, senior officials, diplomats, academics and international experts.
This year’s edition comes at a pivotal stage as the region and the world undergo rapid transformations that are reshaping regional security and the international order, at a time when the Gulf has become a strategic crossroads where considerations of security, energy, trade, technology and critical corridors intersect, alongside the growing role of the region’s countries in shaping regional and international balances.
The forum’s agenda centres on three main pillars: geopolitics, geoeconomics and geotechnology.
Dr. Anwar Gargash, Diplomatic Adviser to the UAE President, said during his special address at the forum, “Our region cannot continue indefinitely in a prolonged state of neither war nor peace. Its stability and the future of its people require clarity of vision and direction.
“What comes next cannot be based on fragile arrangements detached from international law or that undermine it. Rather, the objective must be sustainable stability governed by clear and shared rules. Achieving this requires serious de-escalation, a long-term diplomatic approach to strengthening regional stability, and a clear path regarding Iran’s nuclear programme in terms of its conditions, verification mechanisms and the consequences of non-compliance.”
Dr. Sultan Mohammed Al Nuaimi, Director-General of ECSSR, said, “The reality of the crossroads lies in moving the international response from pursuing the consequences of crises towards a vision that reflects the Gulf’s weight in the stability of the international order.
“From this perspective, Hili Forum highlights the Gulf’s role in consolidating international stability and the depth of the interconnection between its security and the orderly functioning of the economy and trade. It also provides a space to examine ways of translating this interconnection into more sustainable political, legal and economic cooperation, strengthening risk assessment and building responses commensurate with those risks.”
Nickolay Mladenov, Director-General of AGDA, said, “We are living through a clear paradox: the world has never been more connected, yet at the same time it is witnessing increasing fragmentation and a declining ability to resolve conflicts.
“Amid these transformations, the Gulf has become one of the arenas where the features of the coming international order are being shaped and tested. The challenge facing the region is therefore not limited to enduring an age of fragmentation, but also lies in its ability to remain a source of connection, continue building relationships and institutions, and strengthen trust across divides.”
The first day featured a plenary session entitled “Gulf Regional Security Complexes”, with the participation of Dr. Majed Al Ansari, Adviser to the Prime Minister and Spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Qatar, and Vice Admiral John W. “Fozzie” Miller, former Commander of US Naval Forces Central Command and the US Fifth Fleet.
The session was moderated by Dr. Mohammed Ibrahim Al Dhaheri, Deputy Director-General of the Anwar Gargash Diplomatic Academy.
The first day’s programme also included a fireside chat with Nickolay Mladenov, High Representative for the Gaza Board of Peace and Director-General of AGDA, as well as a fireside chat with Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi, Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council.
It also featured two rounds of networking sessions bringing together members of the public and young people with a group of experts and specialists to discuss regional and international issues from multiple perspectives.
The first day was attended by Abdulla bin Mohammed bin Butti Al Hamed, Chairman of the National Media Authority; Dr. Ali Rashid Al Nuaimi, Chairman of the Defence, Interior and Foreign Affairs Committee at the Federal National Council; Khalifa Shaheen Al Marar, Minister of State at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; and Dr. Sultan bin Saif Al Neyadi, Minister of State for Youth Affairs.
Hili Forum 2026 continues tomorrow with a series of sessions addressing competition for influence in the emerging geotechnology order, the convergence of data, drones and digital transformations, as well as the growing role of middle powers amid the shifts and divisions affecting the global order.
