Nearly 200 leaders from 36 countries and territories convened at the Horasis Asia Meeting 2026 to discuss the region’s future amid shifting geopolitical, economic, and technological dynamics. Among the participants was Thaha Muhammed Abdul Kareem, president of the Indian Business and Professionals Council (IBPC) Qatar and Chief Strategic Advisor to the chairman of Wathnan Holding, who joined a high-level panel titled "Building Asia’s Shared Future: Cooperation in a Changing World."

During the session, Thaha emphasized the need to move beyond economic interdependence—long a hallmark of Asia’s growth—and focus on strengthening strategic trust as the foundation for sustainable development over the coming decade. He noted that while trade, investment, technology, and integrated supply chains have tightly connected Asian economies, these links alone are insufficient in an era defined by geopolitical uncertainty, geoeconomic fragmentation, and rapid technological change.

Thaha outlined three key priorities for the region’s advancement: transforming economic ties into enduring strategic partnerships; utilizing Asia’s diverse cultures, political systems, and economic models as sources of resilience rather than division; and recognizing trust as essential infrastructure underpinning investment, innovation, and regional stability. He stressed that Asia does not require uniformity but rather complementarity among its diverse stakeholders.

Drawing from his experience in the Gulf, Thaha highlighted the region’s emerging role as a strategic nexus connecting Asia, Africa, and Europe through investments, logistics, energy, innovation, and finance. He asserted that Asia’s future development will increasingly depend on multiple centers of cooperation creating shared value across borders.

Concluding his remarks, Thaha acknowledged that while competition among nations is inevitable, it should not undermine cooperation, trust, or long-term stability in the region. He expressed gratitude to Horasis founder Dr. Frank-Jürgen Richter and the organizing team for establishing the platform as a respected forum for international dialogue, where leaders from business, government, academia, and civil society collaborate to address common challenges and drive innovation.

Thaha’s involvement as the sole representative from Qatar reinforced IBPC Qatar’s commitment to fostering international business engagement and contributing to conversations shaping Asia’s and the global economy’s future.