The benefits of the Abraham Accords, a series of treaties normalizing diplomatic relations between Israel, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Sudan and Morocco—brokered with the help of the United States and signed in September 2020—continue to grow and pay dividends.
The United Arab Emirates’ Khalifa Empowerment Program, known as Aqdar, has launched an initiative with the Israeli Emirates Leadership Program (ILEP) as part of the annual “Aqdar World Summit,” which takes place this year during Expo 2020 and under the theme of Positive Global Citizenship. The event included two leadership workshops led by Israeli experts, where some 40 Emirati managers in government positions participated in training sessions on leadership development.
The slogan? “Nourishing Minds, Flourishing Nations.”
Aqdar, led by Ibrahim Al Dabal and the IELP, led by Eran Teboul, expect their collaboration to take place over the course of the next three years. It will include the exchange of knowledge between Emirati and Israeli leaders and experts.
ILEP is working in collaboration with Gaya Consulting, an Israel-based organizational consulting firm headed by Amnon Katz. The initiative will work to promote the sharing of leadership best practices as a foundation for strengthening relationships between the two peoples as a result of expanding partnerships surrounding the Abraham Accords.
“This program is another milestone in the scope and depth of relationships between Israeli and Emirati experts,” said Teboul. “Our ability to rely on one another and share the wealth of our knowledge serves as a unique platform for genuine relationships between the peoples.”
‘A deep and open dialogue’
“Key areas of cooperation,” according to the program’s press release, “include a collaborative effort to leverage the Israeli and Emirati culture of management and leadership through mutually beneficial development, and providing local and regional leaders across a diversity of sectors with tools to cope with a disruptive environment while building personal and organizational resilience.”
The program will also work to mentor and encourage young leadership.
“This [cooperation] is the reason we have the Khalifa Empowerment Program,” said Al Dabal. “I am certain that this program will empower the relationship between our two nations by changing the experience and exchanging knowledge between our peoples. It will lead to more peace and more success among different cultures and nations. Israel and the UAE serve as a model for cooperation between different nationalities and different backgrounds in one place, and I thank you for that.”
According to its website, Aqdar is an international program that seeks “to unify domestic and international efforts to build national cadres that are conscious, self-immunized and able to respond to current and future challenges.”
Its self-described aim is to integrate relevant institutions in community outreach; consolidate the values of citizenship and belonging among all segments of society; raise positive awareness of national, cultural and health issues; develop personal and leadership skills; and cultivate the spirit of community responsibility.
Said Katz: “We come to this partnership with great expectations for a deep and open dialogue, and for a mutual learning experience that will benefit all parties.”
