Forum Agenda and Participant Biographies - Brookings Institution

The Role of Entrepreneurship and Job Creation in u.S.-Muslim
Relations
COnVeneRS
ahmed younis
Gallup Center for Muslim Studies; Silatech
and
Mohamed younis
Gallup Center for Muslim Studies
In light of the historic changes currently taking place across the Middle East and North Africa, the time is ripe for
both Muslim-majority governments and the United States to chart clear, coherent, and nuanced policies aimed
at creating sustainable and quality job-creating economic environments. This is also an important moment for
NGOs, development agencies, and the private sector to assess what this new reality means for their programs,
initiatives, and businesses in a region with one of the highest employment challenges globally. Addressing the lack
of quality jobs, particularly for people under the age of thirty, will be as important to citizens in the region as human
rights, the rule of law, and political freedoms. This working group will examine how certain mindsets and
structural challenges must be addressed to overcome unemployment in the region; assess the current approaches
of governments, NGOs, and the private sector; and present recommendations for catalyzing sustainable, entrepreneurship
friendly, and job-creating economies.
aakif ahmad
Convergence
Naif al-Mutawa
THE 99
Mickey Bergman
The Aspen Institute
yasmin Busran-lao
Al-Mujadilah Development Foundation
amr Gohar
ECCO Outsourcing
lionel C. Johnson
United States Chamber of Commerce
paRtICIpantS
2011 U.S.-ISLAMIC WORLD FORUM
Y e A R OF ChAnge
11
Cheryl Kiser
Babson College
Muddassar Malik
BMA Capital
ali Mufuruki
Infotech Investment Group LTD
pawan patil
Silatech
Saafir Rabb
Managing Opportunity, Inc.