MENA Futures Lab

The MENA Futures Lab, a flagship initiative of the Rafik Hariri Center for the Middle East, is dedicated to harnessing innovation, entrepreneurship, and human capital to build a more prosperous future for the Middle East and North Africa.

Events Experts Subscribe WIn Fellowship

MENA Futures Lab Advisory Council

The MENA Futures Lab serves as a collaborative platform and intellectual engine focused on translating ideas into action at the intersection of economic transformation, private-sector engagement, and emerging technologies. The Advisory Council will provide market insight and global perspective as the Lab advances its mission across the region.

The Advisory Council comprises principals from global investment and financial institutions, as well as ambassadors from the Gulf region. Collectively, the Advisory Council represents hundreds of billions of dollars in assets under management and decades of leadership experience spanning global finance, infrastructure, and private equity. 

The Advisory Council will be joined by MENA Futures Lab Director, Khalid Azim, and chaired by HRH Ambassador Reema Bandar Al-Saud, Ambassador of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to the United States.

Advisory Council Public Sector Members

Advisory Council Private Sector Members

Our Focus

MENA Futures Lab

Apr 18, 2023

MacroMENA

MacroMENA promotes research and contributes to public policy formulation in the area of economic growth in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, with a focus on sustainability, inclusivity, and gender equality. We work closely with multiple teams across the Atlantic Council, and collaborate with various international organizations to shed light on the economies of the MENA region and propose targeted policy solutions amidst the highly volatile and fast-changing global economy.
MENA Futures Lab

Apr 23, 2025

WIn Fellowship

The Women Innovators (WIn) Fellowship is a program that bridges executive education with policy discussions, and that invests in the best, brightest, and boldest female founders in the MENA region, helping them take their business to the next level while simultaneously creating a pipeline of the region’s rising female business and policy leaders.

Projects and Trackers

Monthly Newsletter

The empowerME Monthly Newsletter highlights our initiatives programming and key developments from the Middle East and North Africa region.

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Climate Profiles

Highlighting the dire climate situation for differing nations in the Middle East and North Africa region through our “Climate Profiles” series.

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MENA Monitor

Monitoring the fluctuations in the oil and foreign exchange markets in key MENA countries, considering the escalating geopolitical crisis.

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RECENT COMMENTARY & ANALYSIS

MENA Futures Lab

Report Oct 22, 2024

The economic and social costs of the war in Gaza

By Perrihan Al-Riffai

After a year of war, Israel, the Palestinian territories, and neighboring countries need a permanent ceasefire. But with development gains erased, billions of dollars in infrastructure damaged, and skyrocketing unemployment, the Middle East also urgently needs a solid reconstruction plan.
Conflict Israel
MENA Futures Lab

Issue Brief Jun 5, 2024

Policy memo: What will it take to make the MENA region a renewable energy powerhouse?

By Shihab Elborai, Anthony Yammine, and Pavel Popikov

The Middle East and North Africa region is well placed to become not just a major source of renewable energy, but also a central and indispensable player in the global energy transition, uniquely able to balance supply and demand for all types of energy, both hydrocarbons and renewables.
Energy & Environment Energy Markets & Governance
MENA Futures Lab

MENASource Jun 3, 2024

Five impacts of the Gaza war to watch 

By Stefanie Hausheer Ali

It would be a strategic error for the United States and companies operating in the region to ignore the potential impact of Arab public opinion.
Conflict Economy & Business
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Past initiatives

Podcast Series

empowerME Conversations is a podcast created by the Atlantic Council’s empowerME, which features conversations with business and government leaders shaping the Middle East. The podcast highlights significant policy issues, economic opportunities, and challenges for organizations and governments through interviews with influential entrepreneurs, corporate leaders, and economic policymakers.

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Entrepreneurship Program Tracker

The empowerME Initiative collaborated with Imagine Labs to bring you this interactive tracker, which maps out networks nurturing innovation in Bahrain, Egypt, Jordan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates. It features 312 programs and initiatives offered by 122 organizations that these six governments have founded, funded, or partnered with to support entrepreneurs, startups, and SMEs.

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Entrepreneur Spotlight Series

The Entrepreneur Spotlight Series’ highlights a new generation of entrepreneurs in the Middle East region transforming their economies and communities by building great companies. The series focuses on their entrepreneurial journey from launching their venture to current achievements to shed light on what’s possible through supporting policies and programs to drive entrepreneurship.

Watch Here

Flagship Events

2023 Inaugural Rafik Hariri Awards and Tenth Anniversary Gala

Wednesday, February 14, 2023
Kennedy Center

The Rafik Hariri Center celebrates 10 years of impact in promoting peace and prosperity in the MENA region and unlocking the human potential of the region. The center also launches its inaugural Rafik Hariri Awards to celebrate exceptional figures in Arts, social entrepreneurship, and business. 

Upcoming events

Past events

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Experts & Staff

Staff

Khalid Azim

Director, MENA Futures Lab

Rafik Hariri Center & Middle East programs

Economy & Business Middle East

Staff

Nour Dabboussi

Associate Director, MENA Futures Lab

Rafik Hariri Center & Middle East programs Rafik Hariri Center for the Middle East

Arabic French

Fellow

Lama El Hatow

Nonresident Fellow

empowerME Rafik Hariri Center & Middle East programs

Africa Climate Change & Climate Action

Fellow

Hanaa Almoaibed

Nonresident senior fellow

Rafik Hariri Center & Middle East programs Rafik Hariri Center for the Middle East

Arabic Economy & Business

Fellow

Jaime Stansbury

Nonresident fellow

Rafik Hariri Center & Middle East programs Rafik Hariri Center for the Middle East

Arabic Economy & Business

Fellow

Hany Ghanem

Nonresident senior fellow

Rafik Hariri Center & Middle East programs

Americas Arabic

Fellow

Stefanie Hausheer Ali

Nonresident Fellow

Rafik Hariri Center & Middle East programs

Arabic Economy & Business

Fellow

Reem Goussous

Nonresident senior fellow

Rafik Hariri Center & Middle East programs Rafik Hariri Center for the Middle East

Americas Arabic

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Through our Rafik Hariri Center for the Middle East, the Atlantic Council works with allies and partners in Europe and the wider Middle East to protect US interests, build peace and security, and unlock the human potential of the region.

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