Forward Thinking breakfast roundtable, "Syria, between siege and ceasefire", 12th October
On the 12th of October Forward Thinking convened a roundtable workshop exploring recent developments in the Southern Mediterranean, with a particular focus on the Syrian conflict and Egypt’s economic outlook. The meeting brought together representatives of the international community, journalists focusing on the MENA region, and analysts of the Syrian conflict for in-depth discussions. Participants' agreed that the MENA-GULF region is in the midst of a profound period of change, with both key Arab states and the established international relations of the region in flux. In this context, it was suggested that the Europe and the wider international community must prepare for at least “two decades of conflict” in the region - a prognosis which, if accurate, it was feared few countries are prepared for.