Topics
Maritime Law Enforcement in Disputed Waters, Economic Diversification, and Youth Employment and Labor Market Reform
Committee Type
Regional
Committee Size
Small
Committee Description
Middle East & North Africa Summit provides a platform for delegates to engage in discussions and negotiations concerning the pressing issues faced by countries in the Middle East and North Africa region. The interconnectedness of these nations encourages delegates to work with others to find solutions that benefit many countries at once. Each year, the specific nations represented change to foster lively debate on the selected topics.
Topic Intros
Economic Diversification
Diversification is accelerating in the Gulf through initiatives such as Saudi Vision 2030 and Oman Vision 2040, where massive investments of Sovereign Wealth Funds (SWFs) are placed into data-center infrastructure and digital transformation— shifting the region towards a knowledge-based economy set to attract global talents and new vocations. The Middle East retail market has also boomed, projected to reach $932.54 billion dollars in 2026. At this rate, S&P Global expects MENA to be the only major region with high growth in 2026. Despite these satisfactory statistics, success is uneven across the area.
Maritime Law Enforcement in Disputed Waters
On March 27, 2026, Iran closed the Hormuz Strait to U.S., Israeli, and allied shipping. By June 8, they backed a Houthi ban on Israeli navigation in the Red Sea. Bubbling tensions from Operation Praying Mantis, the Twelve Day War and Israeli strikes against Hezbollah foreshadowed conflict. Just thirteen days before closing, oil exports rose three times their rate for Iran and Saudi Arabia; three days before, war-risk ship insurance premiums skyrocketed. At the hour of the attacks, the International Maritime Organization reported 20,000 mariners and 2,000 ships stranded in the Persian Gulf, keeping tankers from transiting the Suez Canal or SUMED Pipeline and forcing the costly and much lengthier diversion around the Cape of Good Hope.
Youth Employment and Labor Market Reform
About 50% of the population in the MENA region is under the age of 25, creating both opportunity and pressure for the youth to support resilient economic development. The demand for laborers is high, yet unemployment rates spike at over 19.39% amongst youth, with 30% possessing a university degree. Opportunity is further disrupted between urban and rural areas due to disparities in infrastructure, education, and investment.
