About the Annual Conference

The staggering growth in trade between Asia and the Middle East offers both new opportunities and challenges that Singapore may contribute to and benefit from. Technology, human capital development, people-to-people ties and sustainable city development are just some of the opportunities at hand.

Thus, this year’s conference is centred around the theme ‘Meeting the Future Together: Opportunities and Challenges for the Indo-Pacific and the Middle East’.

The Middle East Institute’s Annual Conference 2021, spanning three days, will present panel discussions with experts and policymakers on trade, technology and education. This enables us to identify potential growth areas, future opportunities, understand how robust these sectors are and their pivotal role in paving the way for both regions to achieve their strategic priorities.

Opening Speech

Mr Teo Chee Hean, Senior Minister and Coordinating Minister for National Security, Singapore

To watch the opening speech, click here.

Panel Sessions

Day 1 (Tuesday, 23 February 2021)

Topic: Trade – A Cornerstone of the New East-West Asia Connection

Keynote Speaker: Dr Tan See Leng, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office, Second Minister for Manpower and Second Minister for Trade and Industry, Singapore

Moderator: Ms Kathy Lai, Deputy Chief Executive Officer, Enterprise Singapore

Panel Members:

• Dr Choi Byung-il, Professor, Ewha Womans University & President, Korea Foundation for Advanced Studies
• Mr Masakazu Toyoda, President, Institute of Energy Economics Japan
• Dr Omar Al-Ubaydli, Director of Research, Bahrain Center for Strategic, International and Energy Studies (Derasat)
• Professor Shen Dingli, Director, Programme on Arms Control and Regional Security, Fudan University

To watch the panel session for day one, click here.

Day 2 (Wednesday, 24 February 2021)

Topic: The Role of Technology – Building Resilience through Smart Cities and Cybersecurity

Keynote Speaker: Dr Vivian Balakrishnan, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Minister-in-charge of Smart Nation Initiative, Singapore

Moderator: Mr David Koh, Chief Executive Officer, Cyber Security Agency Singapore

Panel Members:

• Dr Gulshan Rai, Former National Cyber Security Coordinator, Prime Minister’s Office, Government of India and Director on the Board of National Stock Exchange
• Professor Isaac Ben-Israel, Head, Security Studies Programme and Head, Blavatnik Interdisciplinary Cyber Studies Centre, Tel Aviv University
• Dr Steve Griffiths, Senior Vice-President (Research & Development), Khalifa University

To watch the panel session for day two, click here.

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Day 3 (Thursday, 25 February 2021)

Topic: Human Capital Development – Building Resilience through Education and Training

Keynote Speaker: Mr Lawrence Wong, Minister for Education and Second Minister for Finance, Singapore

Moderator: Professor Tan Eng Chye, President, National University of Singapore

Panel Members:

• Professor Abdullah Baabood, Visiting Professor, Chair of the State of Qatar for Islamic Area Studies, School of International Liberal Studies Waseda University
• Professor Brian P. Schmidt, Vice-Chancellor & President, Australian National University, 2011 Nobel Laureate Physics
• Professor Guido Saracco, Rector, President, Commission for Strategies for Development, Politecnico di Torino
• Professor Mariët Westermann, Vice Chancellor & Professor, NYU Abu Dhabi
• Mr Shigeo Katsu, President, Nazarbayev University

To watch the panel session for day three, click here.

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Join us for this three-day virtual conference on Zoom (23 February 2021 – 25 February 2021) from the comfort of your home. Please click HERE for the latest programme details.

This event is free. However, registration is compulsory.

Register for the Middle East Institute’s Annual Conference 2021 below.  Please click on the corresponding links to indicate interest for your preferred day(s).

Day 1 (Tuesday, 23 February 2021, 4pm to 6.30pm Singapore Standard Time), click HERE

Day 2 – (Wednesday, 24 February 2021, 4pm to 6.30pm Singapore Standard Time), click HERE.

Day 3 – (Thursday, 25 February 2021, 4pm to 6.30pm Singapore Standard Time), click HERE.

For photos of the event, you may click here.