ABU DHABI, 19th August, 2026 (WAM) -- The Emirates Center for Strategic Studies and Research (ECSSR) and the Anwar Gargash Diplomatic Academy (AGDA) have launched the third edition of the annual Hili Forum, which will take place in Abu Dhabi on 7–8 September 2026 under the theme “Gulf at Crossroads: Conflict, Consequences and Course Correction.”
The Forum will be held at The St. Regis Saadiyat Island Resort, Abu Dhabi.
Jointly organised by ECSSR and AGDA, the Forum reflects both institutions’ shared interest in examining the major regional and international transformations reshaping the global landscape and exploring the strategic choices that will shape the Gulf’s future amid intensifying regional tensions, economic shifts and rapid technological change.
The third edition is expected to bring together more than 55 speakers and over 1,000 participants from more than 35 countries, including senior officials, policymakers, diplomats, experts, thought leaders, academics and business leaders, as well as representatives of international organisations and think tanks from the UAE, the region and around the world.
The Forum will feature a distinguished group of speakers, including Dr. Anwar Gargash, Diplomatic Adviser to the UAE President; Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi, Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC); Dr. Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, Minister of Foreign Trade; Shaikh Khalid bin Ahmed bin Mohammed Al Khalifa, Advisor to His Majesty the King of Bahrain for Diplomatic Affairs and former Minister of Foreign Affairs; Carl Bildt, former Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Sweden; Vuk Jeremić, former Minister of Foreign Affairs of Serbia; Yoo Jeh Seung, former Ambassador of the brotherly Republic of Korea to the UAE; Lieutenant General Stefano Mannino, President of the Centre for Higher Defence Studies (CASD) of the Italian Republic; and Jean-Yves Le Gall, former President of the International Astronautical Federation (IAF).
The Forum’s agenda is organised around three principal pillars: geopolitics, geoeconomics and geotechnology.
This year’s Forum will examine how Gulf states can navigate an increasingly complex strategic environment while contributing to a more resilient and stable regional order.
Discussions will explore the future of regional security architectures and deterrence, the resilience of critical trade and energy corridors, the growing convergence of technology and geopolitics, and the role of middle powers in shaping the next phase of the international system.
The theme reflects the need to rethink established assumptions about security, cooperation and global governance in an era of accelerating geopolitical change.
It calls for strategic foresight, constructive dialogue and practical policy solutions to manage emerging risks while identifying new opportunities for regional and international collaboration.