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Middle East tensions, artificial intelligence and China's next chapter are among the big issues dominating discussions at Summer Davos 2026. Farheen Hussain takes a look at the conversations shaping the week ahead.
Just weeks after tensions in the Strait of Hormuz rattled global energy markets, and as businesses around the world grapple with the rapid rise of artificial intelligence, more than 1,700 leaders from over 90 countries have gathered in the Chinese city of Dalian for this year's Summer Davos.
The 17th Annual Meeting of the New Champions, organised by the World Economic Forum, opened this week under the theme "Innovating at Scale." But if the first day is any indication, the conversation is about far more than technology.
From the future of the Middle East and global trade to China's economic outlook and the impact of AI on jobs, delegates spent much of the opening day wrestling with a question that is increasingly shaping boardrooms and governments alike: how do you build growth in a world that feels more uncertain than ever?
Speaking on the Radio Davos podcast ahead of the meeting, World Economic Forum Managing Director Mirek Dušek said geopolitical tensions, shifting economic relationships and slowing growth projections would shape many of the conversations taking place in Dalian.
What next for Middle East?
One discussion that captured those concerns focused on the future of the Middle East.
The panel discussing - What Next for the Middle East? - at the Summer Davos. Screenshot of the virtual session.
Moderated by Karen Young, Senior Research Scholar at Columbia University's Center on Global Energy Policy, the discussion explored how the Middle East is navigating the fallout from recent tensions involving Iran, Israel and the United States.
Young described the crisis as one of the biggest disruptions to regional energy markets in recent history, with spillover effects across the Gulf.
But speakers argued the region should not be viewed solely through the lens of conflict.
"The region is not only defined by conflict. There is a lot of ambition, desire for growth and stabilisation," said Sanam Vakil, Director of the Middle East and North Africa Programme at Chatham House.
Vakil noted that before the latest escalation, the region had seen years of economic diversification and diplomatic engagement, including improved ties between Iran and its neighbours. The conflict, however, exposed vulnerabilities that many had long warned about. The closure of the Strait of Hormuz sent shockwaves through global markets, while Iran demonstrated its ability to extend the consequences of conflict beyond its borders.
Looking ahead, Vakil pointed to ongoing discussions between Washington and Tehran on maritime security, nuclear issues, economic incentives and regional stability. While trust remains fragile, she believes diplomacy will continue. "There is no guarantee, but things will move on," she said.
For businesses, the focus is already shifting towards adaptation. Lina Noureddin, founder of Saudi Arabia-based Lamar Holding, said countries are accelerating investment in ports, logistics hubs and alternative trade routes as they seek to reduce reliance on the Strait of Hormuz, which carries around a fifth of the world's energy supplies.
"The region has been restructuring," she said, pointing to growing investments in transport, energy and supply-chain resilience.
Khaled Sharbatly, Chief Executive Officer of Desert Technologies, said many of these shifts were already underway and have simply been accelerated by recent events.
"We have been preparing for this scenario since the 1990s," he said.
Mazen Darwazeh, Executive Vice-Chairman and Deputy Chief Executive Officer of Hikma Pharmaceuticals, argued that the deeper issues shaping the region remain unresolved. While recent fighting has damaged infrastructure built over decades, he said reconstruction will also create opportunities.
"When there is rebuilding, there is opportunity," he said. "The question is who will capture it?"
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-Asia Media Centre
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