TRENDS Research and Advisory continues its African tour Held a Panel Discussion in Cooperation with the Horn International Institute for Strategic Studies in Kenya

TRENDS Research and Advisory organized a panel discussion in the Kenyan capital, Nairobi, in cooperation with the Center for Climate Change, Migration and Development, and the Peace Center of the Horn International Institute for Strategic Studies, with the participation of researchers from both sides. These activities were held as part of the third leg of TRENDS African tour.

Dr. Mohammed Abdullah Al-Ali, CEO of TRENDS Research and Advisory, and Dr. Hassan Khannenje, Director of the Horn International Institute for Strategic Studies, stressed the strong bond between the Arab Gulf region and the African continent. They emphasized the importance of research cooperation in addressing the challenges facing both sides, chief amongst those issues are climate change, extremism and terrorism. The two officials indicated the significance of the continent's active participation in the COP28 conference, scheduled to be held in the UAE at the end of this year.

Climate change

 Dr. Roslyn Omondi, Co-Director of the Center for Climate Change, Migration and Development at the Horn Institute, stressed the importance of COP28 in combating climate change, noting that hopes are pinned on it to produce promising results that mitigate the repercussions of climate change and develop solutions to a number of climate-related issues.

Dr. Omondi also touched on the African role in COP28, noting that the recent African Climate Summit in Nairobi reflected the African vision on what will be presented at the conference. Dr. Omondi explained that the "Nairobi Declaration", which called for increasing renewable energy production capacity in Africa by 2030, will serve as the basis for Africa's common position in the global process on climate change.

Dr. Muhammad Al-Ali reviewed TRENDS Research and Advisory efforts in confronting climate change, as well as its efforts in support of the upcoming COP28 conference, through various activities, including seminars, workshops, conferences and events that enhance public awareness of the threats posed by this global issue. Dr. Al-Ali indicated that a higher committee has been formed for follow up on the relevant developments. The Committee shall put forward focused initiatives to support the conference and achieve its goals.

Dr. Al-Ali stressed the importance of the effective participation of African countries in the COP28 conference. He said that the presidency of the conference is keen to provide an opportunity for all countries, institutions and agencies to participate effectively in the COP28. He stressed the need to raise African climate issues in full transparency before the Conference, including the most pressing issues of Climate Change “Loss and Damage Fund”, especially that African countries are the least contributing to carbon emissions, but at the same time they are the most affected by climate change. The continent needs, according to some statistics, about 2.7 trillion dollars by 2030 to finance their commitments to meet the relevant challenges of climate change.

Awadh Al-Breiki. Chief of Trends Global Sector, pointed out that the phenomenon of climate change has become one of the most dangerous phenomena that threaten the sustainable security of the whole world. He explained that TRENDS Research and Advisory is working, through its capable researchers, experts, focused research studies, training programs and opinion polls, to provide distinguished knowledge content on climate issues. TRENDS has launched many green initiatives and issued many studies in this regard.

Mr. Abdullah Al Hammadi, Director of the Conference Department, said that TRENDS has pledged to support international efforts to confront the emerging impact of climate change. He indicated that the Center has organized relevant events that addressed this issue. Al Hammadi said that the Center has dedicated its second annual conference, organized in cooperation with the Atlantic Council, under the title: "Sustainable Security in the Middle East: Challenges and Prospects of Climate Change", to this issue. In fact, the conference recommended the need to invest in research and development to promote innovation as the most important key to environmental security for the region. The Middle East and the world at large, has recognized the importance of working serious effort to implement smart solutions and pursue innovative policies to reduce the effects of climate change.

Countering extremism

The second theme of the panel discussion dealt with the issue of combating extremism. Dr. Mohammed Abdullah Al-Ali stressed that TRENDS Research and Advisory, has a strong commitment to play an effective role in protecting societies against destructive ideologies and is quite aware of the responsibility towards confronting the phenomenon of extremism. TRENDS is keen to support international and regional efforts to combat this phenomenon. The Center is contributing unrelenting efforts to dismantle the hate discourse of extremist groups and expose their malicious plans and goals. Dr. Al-Ali explained that as part of these efforts, TRENDS Center established the political Islam Studies Program. This specialized program has prepared the Muslim Brotherhood's encyclopedia, which consists of 35 books and is issued in Arabic and translated into multiple languages, including English and French. TRENDS Research and Advisory organizes an annual forum, for which it attracts a group of prominent experts in the affairs of this group. He said that these efforts expose the group's lethal discourse and confront its destructive ideas with credible thought and clear rational argument.

Dr. Al-Ali said that in addition, TRENDS has a group of capable researchers, experts and academics who contribute research papers and studies published on the center's website. These studies confront the ideas of violent extremist groups. TRENDS is also keen to participate in international events and activities dealing with the phenomenon of extremism, in order to interact with various research and academic communities that are interested in confronting this phenomenon.

The CEO of TRENDS Research and Advisory explained that the Center's efforts do not stop at this level. TRENDS has established the Coexistence and Tolerance Program, which aims to promote these two values in societies, as a tool to confront extremist groups that seek to spread hatred. TRENDS Center organizes a series of seminars and workshops in which a group of prominent researchers and officials promote the values of tolerance and coexistence around the world.

Sheikh Ramadan Ayola, Director of the Center for Sustainable Conflict Resolution (Peace Center) of the Horn International Institute for Strategic Studies, addressed the issue of extremism and terrorism in East Africa and how to make peace. He stressed the significance of addressing the concepts and ideas of extremist ideology in all its forms, through proper dismantling of subversive ideas.

 The director of the Center for Sustainable Conflict Resolution added that the Center is working to train young people to confront the propaganda of the Somali extremist al-Shabaab movement. For that purpose, the Center issued several books in this field, including a booklet that explained jihadist concepts and refutations. He indicated that the Center tries to dismantle stereotypes about jihad by refuting its vocabulary and exposing its sources of support to prevent extremism and reduce its impact. He explained that people in East African countries are trained to confront this extremist propaganda. The Somali extremist al-Shabaab movement is a model of extremist ideology that is being confronted, he said. He told the audience that the African continent needs more work to confront the spread of extremist ideas and protect society.

At the end of his intervention, Sheikh Ramadan praised TRENDS' efforts in this field. He said that he has read many research papers and studies published on TRENDS’ website, especially those related to the African continent. He appreciated these valuable contributions that diagnosed this thorny problem and proposed practical solutions to it.

 Dr. Fattouh Haikal, Scientific Advisor to TRENDS Research and Advisory, touched on another aspect related to the exploitation of terrorist groups and organizations of the repercussions of climate change in order to expand and spread their malicious activities. Dr. Fattouh explained the threat of this phenomenon in the African continent. He said that these groups exploit the conditions of declining economic and deteriorating living conditions resulting from climate change and use it as a fertile environment to grow and spread their ideas. Dr. Haikal stressed the importance of strengthening scientific and research cooperation between specialized think tanks to dismantle the ideology of these groups and refute the foundations on which they rely in spreading their extremist ideologies, as the most important approach to confront these groups. He stressed that TRENDS Research and Advisory plays a pivotal role in this regard.