Associate Professor Sahar Aziz attended the Doha Forum in Qatar to connect with international leaders and share her research addressing the legal and policy challenges facing the Middle East.
Texas A&M School of Law associate professor Sahar Aziz attended the annual Doha Forum, an international conference that gathers top diplomats, government officials, academics, journalists and civil society leaders from around the world. This year’s forum hosted more than 600 participants representing more than 80 countries and organizations. International guests of honor included current and former heads of state and featured eminent political thinkers, economic experts, and renowned business leaders.
The 14th annual forum, “Enriching the Middle East’s Economic Future,” was held in Qatar from May 12-14.
Aziz’s scholarship, research, writing and policy work on rule of law in Egypt and Middle East law and policy secured her spot among the select group of invitees. “It was an honor and a privilege to be among such a distinguished group of international experts and high-level government officials from across the world,” Aziz said.
Faculty participation in the Doha Forum is just one example of Texas A&M School of Law's international reach. The law school recently hosted a panel of Arab women leaders, a lecture series on what America can learn from Australian water law reform, and a forum on democracy in the Middle East. Its faculty expertise ranges from international energy, environmental and water law to Middle East policy, along with international financial regulations, international adoption law and other high-impact topics.
Aziz says, “Through my meetings, I was able to explore opportunities to engage in collaborative and interdisciplinary projects seeking to address the legal and policy challenges facing the Middle East in this historical moment. It was also a unique opportunity to showcase Texas A&M School of Law to potential supporters and encourage institutional cooperation across borders, which will ultimately enrich our law student's educational experience and increase our faculty's global impact.”
Aziz’s research on how the role of law in Egypt promotes the democratic process, including transparency, government accountability and free and fair elections provides insights into the relationship between legal reforms and economic developments.
“Despite the differing views on appropriate forms of government among the diverse Middle Eastern countries, most experts agree that economic growth is of utmost importance to address a youth bulge and growing unemployment. I hope to use this opportunity to join the conversation among experts and government officials and use my research towards informing the search for solutions to these important issues,” Aziz said.
While in Doha, Aziz visited the campus of Texas A&M University at Qatar.
Read more about Texas A&M School of Law associate professor Sahar Aziz.