It was most exciting to chair the exclusive, invitation-only roundtable with the Right Honourable Boris Johnson, former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, at the AIM Summit in Dubai this week. The topic for our discussion was “The Changing Global Landscape - Challenges and Opportunities” and we were able to explore in depth many of the most pressing global issues of our time.

Under Chatham House Rule, we first took a deep dive into a number of critically important world events including the trajectory of the war in Ukraine and its likely long-term impact on European security and NATO, the implications for global geopolitics resulting from the rise of China and the ongoing crisis in the Middle East.

Our conversation then turned to the position of the UK in the post-Brexit world. We explored current challenges in the country’s relationship with Europe and the opportunities presented by the vision of “Global Britain”. It was most interesting to hear Boris Johnson’s perspectives on Britain’s evolving role on the world stage ranging from free trade agreements such as the CPTPP and the UK's fast-growing trade ties with India to the country’s leadership in multilateral organizations.

Finally, we touched on Boris Johnson's reflections on his period in office, the intense demands of leadership during testing times and some of the lessons he has drawn from his tenure as both Mayor of London and Prime Minister. It was a highly insightful discussion that shed light on many of the great challenges ahead. The discussion left us all with much to consider as the world navigates the complexities of today's often highly unsettling landscape.

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