Mohamed Abou El-Enein, President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean, said the global economy is being reshaped amid major geopolitical, economic, and technological challenges, calling for the Middle East to become a centre for innovation, development, and sustainable growth.
Speaking at the 4th Marrakech Economic Parliamentary Forum for the Euro-Mediterranean and Gulf region, held in Morocco under the patronage of King Mohammed VI, Abou El-Enein said peace and security remain the foundation for development and economic integration.
He welcomed the ceasefire agreement between Washington and Tehran, describing it as a positive step for peace and regional stability. He also praised mediation efforts led by several countries, including Egypt, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar.
Abou El-Enein said Gulf states had shown wisdom and responsibility during the crisis, despite attacks on civilian facilities. He added that restraint and diplomacy had helped prevent further escalation.
Turning to the Palestinian issue, Abou El-Enein stressed that economic integration cannot be separated from regional conflicts, especially the rights of the Palestinian people. He called for a just and lasting solution based on the two-state formula, with a Palestinian state established on the borders of June 4, 1967, and no forced displacement of Palestinians from their land.
He said Egypt has made major progress in infrastructure, investment legislation, urban expansion, ports, industrial zones, education, tourism, and energy. He noted that Egyptians historically lived on only 6% of the country’s land, while recent development has expanded inhabited areas to more than 12%.
Abou El-Enein said Egypt has built more than 50 new industrial cities over the past decade and expanded port infrastructure more than fivefold, strengthening its role as a bridge between the Global North, the Global South, and Africa.
He also pointed to Egypt’s growing tourism sector, saying the goal of attracting more than 30 million tourists annually is close to being achieved.
On Egypt-Europe cooperation, he said recent partnerships cover green hydrogen, solar energy, electronics, software, petrochemicals, and other value-added industries.
Abou El-Enein said financing remains one of the main challenges facing regional development, calling for new funding models and stronger guarantees to support investment.
He also said artificial intelligence has become a major global challenge and must be managed through a suitable environment and a modern framework that protects privacy, strengthens accountability, and maximises benefits.
He urged business leaders to seize new opportunities, invest directly and indirectly, transfer technology, and build partnerships that increase productivity and added value.
Abou El-Enein said the Middle East has the talent, resources, and creative capacity needed to become a centre for development and innovation, provided that peace, investment, and cooperation are strengthened.
The Marrakech forum brings together parliamentarians, policymakers, financial institutions, business leaders, and private-sector representatives from the Euro-Mediterranean region, the Gulf, and Africa to discuss economic integration, investment, artificial intelligence, job creation, climate challenges, food security, and sustainable development.
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