De Croo discusses Middle East conflict with Qatar at Davos forum
Conflict in the Middle East is on the agenda at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, where the world’s politic and economic leaders are meeting this week. The subject was the focus of discussions between Belgian prime minister Alexander De Croo and his Qatari counterpart, Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, on Wednesday.
Belgium considers Qatar to be an important discussion partner, not least for its role as mediator in the conflict between Israel and the extremist organisation Hamas.
The economic consequences of the war were also discussed. Global shipping companies are increasingly choosing not to transport goods via the Red Sea because of continued attacks by Iran-backed Houthi militias on oil tankers and container ships, resulting in delays and the threat of higher prices.
The emergence of artificial intelligence was the other major item on the Davos agenda. Many of the speakers who addressed the issue said that AI must be accompanied by regulation. “We need to leave room for experimentation, but as soon as a product reaches the market, we need to be very strict. A bit like what happens in the pharmaceutical sector,” De Croo said
© BELGA PHOTO ERIC LALMAND
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