The Emirates Centre for Strategic Studies and Research and the Anwar Gargash Diplomatic Academy have jointly announced plans for the third edition of the Hili Forum, scheduled to take place at The St. Regis Saadiyat Island Resort in Abu Dhabi. According to the organisers, the event will assemble policymakers, leading experts and thought leaders to analyse recent developments that are reshaping the Gulf region and its international relationships. This edition continues the forum’s established format of fostering high-level strategic dialogue, with sessions designed to encourage substantive exchanges on pressing contemporary issues.
Discussions at the gathering will centre on the theme Gulf at Crossroads, encompassing conflict dynamics, critical trade and energy corridors, technological advancements in geopolitics and the expanding role of middle powers, as outlined in the joint announcement. The programme aims to provide a comprehensive platform for evaluating how these elements intersect to influence the future regional order. Such topics reflect ongoing transformations that have gained urgency amid evolving global alignments, according to an ECSSR overview of the forum’s objectives.
Previous iterations of the Hili Forum have drawn substantial international participation, with the second edition in Abu Dhabi attracting more than 60 speakers, 1,000 attendees and representatives from over 30 countries, an AGDA report indicated. The inaugural regional edition took place in Rio de Janeiro in July 2025, focusing on UAE-Latin American relations and expanding the forum’s reach beyond the Gulf. These earlier events established a track record of productive engagements that informed policy perspectives and highlighted emerging strategic priorities.
Registration for the 2026 forum is currently open, allowing eligible participants to secure places for what the organisers describe as a pivotal convening in the annual strategic calendar. The choice of Abu Dhabi as host location reinforces the city’s standing as a centre for thoughtful discourse on Middle Eastern affairs. ECSSR and AGDA have coordinated the series since its inception, combining their respective strengths in research and diplomatic training to elevate the quality of exchanges.
A joint ECSSR and AGDA assessment found that the forum series has progressively addressed how connectivity initiatives and security challenges interact with broader technological and economic trends. Participants in past editions included senior government figures, academics and specialists whose contributions helped map pathways for cooperation amid regional complexities. The upcoming meeting will maintain this emphasis, offering structured opportunities to review developments that hold implications for stability and growth across the area.
