Official Launch Highlight

The establishment of the Arab Think Tank and Research Network (ARTTN) was announced as a new Arab institutional initiative aimed at strengthening research integration, advancing joint knowledge production, and enhancing the role of think tanks in supporting evidence-based public policymaking across the Arab world.

The announcement took place during the 7th Annual Forum of the Bahrain Center for Strategic, International and Energy Studies (Derasat), held in Manama, Kingdom of Bahrain, on 22–23 December 2025, under the theme:

“Arab Research Consortium for Sustainability and Development.”

The event was attended by H.E. Mr. Ahmed Aboul Gheit, Secretary-General of the League of Arab States, and H.E. Dr. Shaikh Abdulla bin Ahmed Al Khalifa, Minister of Transportation and Telecommunications and Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Derasat, alongside a distinguished group of Arab intellectual, diplomatic, and research leaders.

ARTTN was launched on the initiative of the Gulf Research Center, in partnership with the Bibliotheca Alexandrina, as a step toward establishing a structured and inclusive Arab framework for coordination among think tanks and research institutions. The Network seeks to link research-based knowledge with decision-making processes and to respond more effectively to the complex and interlinked development challenges facing the Arab region.

Announcement of the Network and Launch Statements

The official announcement of ARTTN was made by Dr. Abdulaziz bin Othman bin Sager, Chairman of the Gulf Research Center, in his address during the opening session. He emphasized that development challenges in the Arab world have become increasingly structural and interconnected, and cannot be addressed through traditional policy tools alone. Instead, they require the systematic use of scientific research, data, and forward-looking analysis to formulate more effective and sustainable policies. He underscored that ARTTN is intended to serve as an Arab institutional platform to bridge the gap between knowledge production and policymaking, while promoting joint research efforts.

Professor Dr. Ahmed Abdullah Zayed, Director of the Bibliotheca Alexandrina, also delivered a keynote address highlighting the growing importance of Arab think tanks in responding to rapid global transformations. He stressed that building integrated Arab research networks and producing applied, policy-relevant knowledge are essential pillars for supporting decision-makers and advancing sustainable development. He noted that the launch of ARTTN represents a practical institutional step toward building a shared Arab knowledge space based on coordination and integration.

Official Arab Framework

The establishment of the Arab Think Tank and Research Network is aligned with Item Twelve of the Jeddah Declaration, adopted at the 32nd Arab Summit (May 2023), which called for the creation of an Arab intellectual incubator dedicated to research and studies in sustainability and economic development.

The initiative also received formal recognition in the Final Statement of the 7th Derasat Annual Forum, where Point Four explicitly welcomed and praised the establishment of ARTTN, considering it an important step toward strengthening coordination and integration among Arab think tanks and building a shared Arab knowledge space in support of development and sustainability priorities.