In the closing session of the 12th Al Jazeera Forum, Mohammed Mukhtar Al Khalil, Director of Al Jazeera Centre for Studies (AJCS), extended his thanks and appreciation to all those who contributed to the forum and rendered it a great success. He praised the level of discussion and suggestions put forward by participants, who asserted that they all expressed their convictions freely and without any intervention.
Concerning the request that the forum should have allocated a section to discuss the issues of the African continent, Al Khalil said that he wished that Africa's issues had constituted one of the major focuses of this year's forum, adding that he had invited the Ethiopian foreign minister to participate but he minister was unable to attend due to circumstances. Al Khalil asserted that Africa remain one of the AJCS's concerns, although the domestic situation sometimes stands rival to other issues. He also expressed his hoped that the forum had managed to answer some questions about current affairs, and apologised for any shortcomings in the forum.
The director of AJCS also thanked the parties that contributed to the forum's success: first and foremost, the Board of Directors of Al Jazeera Media Network, particularly Sheikh Hamad Bin Thamer Al Thani, Chairman of the Board; Dr. Mostefa Souag, Acting Director General of Al Jazeera Media Network; the Ministry of the Interior; Qatar Television and the local press for their outstanding role in covering the forum; the Qatar Red Crescent Society; the volunteers; City Centre Rotana Hotel management; and the Public Services Department for their efforts over the past month; and the rest of Al Jazeera's departments.
