Empowering Arab states is the way to fight extremism

Arab states must co-operate closely if they want to overcome challenges facing the region and to counter extremism, experts say.

Prince Turki Al Faisal, the former Saudi ambassador to Washington and London, said Arab leaders must align and share interests to neutralise conflict and instability.

“Driving great power alignment around shared interests and neutralising conflict through coalition-based action are essential if we want to establish strategic foundations for regional stability,” Prince Turki said at a press conference for the Beirut Institute Summit.

He is a board member and supporter of the summit, which draws on recommendations of participants for policy ideas in the Middle East.

“Fighting terror and extremism has urged the Arab world to co-operate closely on countering these issues, and in my view one leads to the other,” Prince Turki said.

Raghida Dergham, founder of Beirut Institute and a columnist, said tolerance in the region could be achieved only “if the region’s leaders promote and embrace the values of inclusion”.

After its second summit in Abu Dhabi, titled Constructing the Arab Region’s Engagement in the Emerging Global Future, the Beirut Institute launched a policy road map that contains five fundamental strategies that leaders of the region can follow.

“The recommendations of this report will help to overcome the challenges of instability and insecurity in the region,” Prince Turki said.

He said Arab states must work together “to help failed or insecure states to overcome their challenges”, which will lead to eradicating extremism.

The policy also addressed the role of women in society in countering violent extremism, stressing that future leaders must systematically empower women.

“Women have a special role in standing up to extremism at home and in society,” Ms Dergham said.

Education is the way to counter these challenges, she said.