Young Global Leaders to tackle issues
3 UAE RESIDENTS AMONG 100 CHOSEN BY WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM
Three UAE residents chosen by the World Economic Forum will join a five-year programme to solve and mitigate a range of issues in the Middle East and beyond
Three UAE residents chosen as Young Global Leaders (YGLs) by the World Economic Forum (WEF) will be joining a five-year programme to solve and mitigate a range of challenges in the Middle East and beyond.
The YGLs from the UAE were selected earlier this month, joining the 100-strong cohort of international peers, nominated every year.
At this early stage, the details and specifics of the five-year programme have not been discussed. The WEF says online that the YGLs were nominated “because of their groundbreaking work, creative approaches to problems and ability to build bridges across cultures and between business, government, and civil society”.
The three YGLs from the UAE for 2018 are Razan Al Mubarak (Emirati), secretary-general of the Environment Agency-Abu Dhabi; Alisha Moopen (Indian), executive director of Aster DM Healthcare; and Tamer Makary (American), founder of Ethica Partners.
Speaking to Gulf News following her selection, Moopen cautioned there are new threats on the horizon that must be dealt with swiftly before they become a big problem.
“Over the decades, significant progress has been made in combating infectious diseases globally. However, we have now arrived at a stage where lifestyle diseases and the misuse of technology have spawned an entirely new range of issues, including emotional and mental well-being, which need to be tackled proactively before they become a huge burden,” Moopen said.
She also drew attention to a more empathetic approach in community outreach. “I firmly believe that we have to do justice to that word ‘mankind’. There has to be kindness towards each person, towards society, and towards mankind at large ...
“Hence, I am quite involved in social welfare through our Aster Volunteers programme and greatly appreciate being among those who commit their time, effort and capabilities for the benefit of mankind such as the inspirational individuals selected to be part of the Young Global Leaders programme this year.”
Also speaking to Gulf News, Makary highlighted the plight of people with sight problems in sub-Saharan Africa.
“The rate of blindness and vision impairment is twice that of the global average in subSaharan Africa. Of the existing number of visually impaired, approximately 80 per cent of cases are preventable or treatable. This is a startling reality that we all need to face up to and tackle,” Makary, 39, said.
Makary, who is of Egyptian origin, helped establish subSaharan Africa’s first not-forprofit subspeciality eye hospital. “There is a lot I am very proud of, but one thing stands out: my role in helping to establish the Magrabi ICO Cameroon Eye Institute in Yaoundé, Cameroon,” said Makary, who is also the vice-president of fundraising at the Africa Eye Foundation.
Makary currently splits his time between the UAE and the US, where he lives with his wife and four young children.