Special to AG-IP News Agency 

AMMAN – HE Dr. Talal Abu-Ghazaleh, chairman and founder of Talal Abu-Ghazaleh Global (TAG.Global) stated that the world as a whole and the Arab world in particular are experiencing the first-of-its- kind crisis that will live with us for a long time and will affect the global economy.

His Excellency’s remarks were made at the Virtual International Meeting for Investment in Africa, hosted by Algeria, entitled “Corona and Economic Transformation”, with the participation of ambassadors, diplomats, political and economic experts,  among others. Dr. Abu-Ghazaleh affirmed that in the time of crises there should be serious efforts for achieving self-sufficiency and establishing crisis management teams capable of introducing plans and programs to face the crisis.

He referred to the importance of protecting the Arab countries through ‘Arab Economic Integration’, underscoring the necessity of striving for an Arab economic unity that can be easily achieved more on cyberspace than in reality. 
Dr. Abu-Ghazaleh also called on the Arab countries to adopt the ‘self-sufficiency’ principle through a national plan that includes food, medicine and education to face the internal and external challenges that would directly affect the gross domestic product (GDP).

Furthermore, he underlined the importance of transforming education to become digital for the purpose of creativity and innovation, which he believes would become a weapon against the Coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis and any other crises, pointing out that the Arab countries comprise a large number of innovators, but they lack investment funds for turning inventions into products. 

Dr. Abu-Ghazaleh concluded by asserting the importance of digital literacy as an imperative human need, noting that he has been calling for fighting digital illiteracy since he was chair of the UN Global Alliance for ICT for Development.