 Last but not least Volker Bethes and of course Volker you are responsible for another slightly troubled part of the world Sudan Well, thank you, John I'm not only not even trying to predict the future But I think what I do is is I actually tell you a story about Sudan which I think has Some significant elements of possible paths Forward now Sudan is more influenced by African developments and by classical Middle Eastern developments, but still I think it is significant What happens in Sudan or Sudan could be a significant Signifier for developments in the Middle East the revolution which we have had in Sudan in 2018-2019 was a real revolution by the way Significant in at least three aspects for this region Middle East North Africa a it was triggered by the same grievances Which people had in the so-called Arab Spring be it was a first? popular real popular evolution against an Islamist Regime so Muslim brotherhood Islamists don't have to be successful in revolutions all the times I could sometimes be at the receiving end which was the case in Sudan and see The Sudanese have learned from the failures of the Arab Spring very much very actively learned have learned to avoid the the path of Syria or the path of Libya by agreeing and accepting a formula of power sharing between the militaries and civilians and some rebel groups that have joined the fray later and since that revolution and see agreement on a power sharing formula Sudan has been in a triple transformation process from authoritarianism to pluralistic democratic governance from civil wars basically 60 years of almost uninterrupted civil wars to domestic peace and also form economic mismanagement and high debts to economic recovery and more equitable Development now will Sudan succeed? I don't know. I'm just working for the success, but I don't know I'm pretty sure it can Sudanese can't we are halfway Through that transition period which is supposed to end by January 2020 4 the record so far as you couldn't expect otherwise is mixed, but I would say the glass is certainly Fuller than empty The record is more positive so far than negative peace agreements have been signed with the main rebel movements Of course implementation is a challenge and takes time The economy is recovering after having been in free fall the main Difficult part but also the most interesting Dimension of this transition for this region for the Middle East and North Africa is a political transition. It's the most difficult because power sharing between the military and The civilians a it is rather exceptional in this part of the world both the Middle East and Africa and also this power sharing Arrangement is not a marriage of love It's not even a marriage of convenience It is at best a marriage of reason built of the reasonable realization that One part cannot do without the other or one part cannot do away with the other without risking the entire country and Risking domestic peace. It's a massive transition and you wouldn't expect it to be Otherwise and just in the last two weeks. We have had a couple of attempts to reset the balance of forces in Sudan Why is it significant for the rest of for the Middle East and North Africa a all the elements? which we have in The Sudanese microcosm as it were are present in this larger region of Middle East and North Africa We have authoritarianism or the remnants of authoritarianism that resists change We have rent seeking dysfunctional economies that resist change and reform. We have Baladino already mentioned that we have an extremely young Population which can be a challenge and an opportunity at the same time And we have and I insist on saying that because I think it is so important We have a society that is much more connected to the world much more technology Savvy much more open to the world than the old elites that were overthrown in the core first and that's a revolution of 2019 so if Sudan can succeed in this transition was was very difficult starting points economically Then I think the rest of the region can too, which brings me to very briefly to the geopolitical picture Sudan as I said in the beginning is much more influenced by Developments in Africa Ethiopia chat South Sudan then it is by developments in the classical Middle East and the question for me and it's it's it's probably an Academic question to an extent is whether this concept of Middle East, North Africa Will still be relevant in 2030 or isn't it rather Then we will have different sub regions with different orientations different levels of integration and indeed I think that's the answer to the question of which Geographical concepts or geopolitical concepts apply in 2030 lies in the patterns of integration and connectivity So it could well be that parts of North Africa are much more part of a wider European economic space Then of a Mina region it could well be that the Gulf is a much stronger player in the Indian Ocean in Africa then in North Africa was a classical Middle East and it could well be and I hope it will That Sudan will be a center of integration in East Africa and influence political influence will come through connectivity and Linkages rather than the traditional ways of buying off your clients in a neighboring country and Subverting the neighbor if possible So to conclude I think the Gulf States and since we are in the Emirates and we're happy that we're here the Gulf States will have a great opportunity to To help peaceful development not only in Sudan, but in the entire sub region by thinking about connectivity and linkages by not only investing in port structures port infrastructure I know the UAE is doing that along the African coast, but also the linkages between the ports and the deeper Inner side of Africa as it were by linkages through rail and road for example to the landlocked neighbors of Sudan Chad Central African Republic South Sudan and Ethiopia and thereby making Sudan not only a center of integration But also a pill of stability and regional development and finally if I may any advice to Regional and international players who see that the situation in Sudan and in many other countries is still Fluid is indeed Invest geoeconomically in connectivity. It helps your economic interest and the interest of the countries you are investing in and invest politically in institutions and Power sharing rather in rather than in trying to find your own clients or try To manipulate political outcomes. Thank you very much. Thank you very much indeed Volker