The third edition of the Hili Forum 2026 in Abu Dhabi was the first major international gathering in the Gulf since the outbreak of the war, bringing together over 1,000 senior policymakers, diplomats, experts and thought leaders at a moment of exceptional regional and global uncertainty.
The Forum opened with remarks by Dr. Anwar Gargash, Diplomatic Adviser to the President of the United Arab Emirates, who set the tone for the discussions by addressing the urgent need for de-escalation, regional stability and a sustainable diplomatic framework for the period ahead.
Vuk Jeremić, President of CIRSD, former President of the UN General Assembly and former Foreign Minister of Serbia, participated in the Forum’s closing plenary, “Role of Middle Powers in a Ruptured Global Order,” alongside Carl Bildt, former Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Sweden and Co-Chair of the European Council on Foreign Relations, and Zhandos Shaimardanov of the Kazakhstan Institute for Strategic Studies.
Jeremić stressed that strategic autonomy requires countries to diversify trusted partnerships, maintain good relations with their neighbours, avoid being drawn into other countries’ conflicts, and strengthen resilience at home.
He also highlighted the growing importance of technological and strategic partnerships as traditional security guarantees become less certain, arguing that middle powers are likely to play an increasingly important role in shaping the emerging international order.
The Hili Forum brings together policymakers, experts and researchers to discuss the geopolitical, economic and technological transformations shaping the Gulf and the wider international order.
