The Emirates News Agency reported that Young Arab Leaders organised the session titled Leadership in Times of Change to highlight the main requirements and skills needed for leadership given accelerating transformations and increasing challenges across different sectors. The event took place in Dubai and focused on the central role of Arab youth in shaping the region’s future along with ways to activate their contributions toward building more resilient economies. Discussions examined mechanisms that allow young people to keep pace with worldwide shifts while turning obstacles into prospects for growth.
Moderated by Mona Ataya the founder and chief executive of Mumzworld and a board member of Young Arab Leaders the session hosted Mudassir Sheikha the founder and chief executive of Careem. The pair addressed how Arab youth can assume greater responsibility in economic development and adaptation to global trends. Their exchange formed part of a wider effort to connect emerging leaders with practical pathways for impact.
The session underscored the pivotal position of Arab youth in defining the contours of the region’s future the Emirates News Agency reported. Participants explored practical steps to strengthen youth involvement in economies that can withstand volatility and align with international developments. Such gatherings aim to foster dialogue that converts shared challenges into collaborative opportunities across the Arab world.
Khalfan Juma Belhoul the chairman of the board of Young Arab Leaders said “Arab youth today possess the ambition and capabilities that qualify them to play a pivotal role in shaping the features of the region’s future. The importance of initiatives like Young Arab Leaders comes from their ability to bring together young leaders entrepreneurs and change-makers within an effective regional network that allows them to exchange experiences and ideas and build partnerships that contribute to turning challenges into opportunities.” Belhoul’s remarks framed the organisation’s work as a platform for tangible cooperation.
Mudassir Sheikha told the gathering “Arab youth are distinguished by their ambition and ability to do the impossible and I advise them to pursue their ambitions and dreams with a positive outlook and not to stop at obstacles or challenges and these efforts must be supported to enable them to contribute to building their countries and their future.” His comments highlighted the need to back youth initiatives with resources and encouragement. The input aligned with the session’s emphasis on positive action over barriers.
A separate report by the Emirates News Agency from February 2026 placed the membership of the Young Arab Leaders network at more than 700 young Arab men and women from across the region. That figure reflects the organisation’s growth since its establishment nearly two decades ago as a platform for dialogue and partnership. The network has participated in high-level gatherings including pre-events for the World Governments Summit where similar themes of youth empowerment were explored.
According to a statement from the United Nations in Jordan sixty percent of the Arab region’s population is under the age of 30 constituting the largest youth population globally and presenting both major challenges and unique opportunities for peace prosperity and sustainable development. The United Nations has recognised several young Arab women from Egypt Jordan and Saudi Arabia in its 2025 cohort of leaders for sustainable development goals in fields ranging from education to health and space research. A World Economic Forum Youth Pulse report drawing on perspectives of nearly 10 000 young people across regions further informed parallel discussions at a Dubai leadership meeting in October 2026.
