RIYADH: Benedikt Franke, vice-chair and CEO of the Munich Security Conference, painted a picture of optimism at the recent Munich Leaders Meeting in AlUla, Saudi Arabia — a pivotal gathering set against the backdrop of US President Donald Trump’s latest Gaza peace plan.
The session not only addressed urgent questions facing the Middle East and North Africa but was also a watershed moment for the MSC’s evolution from its Euro-Atlantic roots to a platform engaging regional and global partners on their own terms.
The Sept. 30 to Oct. 2 meeting in AlUla unfolded as Trump unveiled his 20-point peace plan, which has divided opinion throughout the Middle East and the world, generating widespread debate. Franke, however, was struck by the response of participants.
“The thing I was most surprised by was the optimism in the room,” Franke told Katie Jensen, host of the Arab News current affairs program “Frankly Speaking” following his Saudi visit.
“I think people are fed up with the status quo. They believe that any plan is better than having no plan and that this plan is the best that we’ve seen for a while.
