First Challenges identified

The big debate has finally begun around the theme of regional identities and struggles and the first conversations identifying the key challenges have begun to take place in small intimate groups, discussion panels and in the big townhall debate.

The first day of the 2006 Annual Meeting was dedicated to identify the key challenges for each of the major themes of this year's event.

With regards to regional identities and struggles , the main challenges identified, with potential global impact, that face the five major world regions over the coming 12-18 months were:

1. Institution and Governance:  Pushing through the reform agenda, democratization, transparency and building a sense of regional identity and community.  The new “conservative” wave of political leadership. 
2. Security: Taming social unrest through integration, militarization of rouge states and the development of a new breed of terrorism
3. Economics: The long oil boom and the repercussion on global economy. The winners and the loosers, Market reforms
4. Development Struggle: new models of the welfare state for the 21^st century, reform of the labour market and changing balance of demographic population of nations ( local vs immigrants),

Key regional questions that need to be addresssed in the next 12-18 months the most pressing ones identified were:

In terms of k

1. Europe:  How can the European Union clearly define the region’s priorities to ensure that the European Union can work.  Solving the key governance and leadership issue are key to ensuring the ecomomic development of the region in face of a european identity crises

2. Middle East: How can governments in the middle east ensure that their elections are not simply “window dressing” exercises benefiting simply national elites?  How can the long oil boom ensure regional development and stabilty. 

3. Latin America: How can, or will, the new regional political alliances arising from the coming to power of conservative goverments make sure that the market the reforms accomplished thus far are continued?

4. Africa: How can african governments keep the reform agenda moving forward to ensure good public and corporate governance practices become wide spread and they create the structures necessary for strong intra-regional trade aimed at  economic development.

The real question however is what are the mechanisms for change that each region needs to adopt  in order to provide concrete solutions to the key challenges identified?  Are interntational bodies or umbrella organisations going to be able to provide the answers or are the transformations needed only able to be done at a local level?   

Comments

[Henrique Plöger Abreu]

I think that more important than to define what are the mechanisms for change that each region needs to adopt is to create the awareness that to implement change , regional leaders have to create the awareness among their followers that
Leadership starts with ourselves, we are not born with (at least that is my theory) it is a skill that we develop overtime by learning from our mistakes, our habits and ultimately it is the showroom of our character.
It is our actions, our ethical behaviour our creativity, our beliefs that shape organizations and governments.
Leadership is primarily a relationship between people and this relationship to be successful must be built on trust.
Trust is something that we foster and strengthen with time by living the values that we believe in.
The golden rule of leadership is providing the example by living what we preach,
Leading by doing what we mean.
Leadership based on mutual trust should be everyone’s business, and be applied not only to the financial/ political world but also in our daily actions in our social and private environment.
Leadership is about the ability to motivate others to achieve common objectives.
If we want this world to become a better one, than leadership starts with ourselves we all take full responsibility for doing what we say and what we will do.
It is an important first step to reinstall credibility in our financial, political and social institutions.

Henrique Plöger Abreu