Think Tanks Drive Sustainable Development Insights At Bahrain's Derasat Forum

TRENDS Research & Advisory used a regional forum in Manama to highlight how think tanks can drive sustainable development. The organisation joined the Seventh Annual Forum of the Bahrain Centre for Strategic, International and Energy Studies (Derasat), held under the theme "The Arab Research Centres Consortium for Sustainability and Development", which examined the role of Arab research institutions in long-term development agendas.

The forum, organised with the General Secretariat of the League of Arab States, brought together senior regional figures. Attendees included Ahmed Aboul Gheit, Secretary-General of the League of Arab States, and Dr. Shaikh Abdulla bin Ahmed Al Khalifa, Bahrain’s Minister of Transportation and Telecommunications and Chairman of Derasat’s Board of Trustees, alongside heads of Arab think tanks, experts and officials.

During the first session, titled "Arab Think Tanks and Sustainable Development: From Knowledge to Impact", Dr. Mohammed Abdullah Al-Ali, CEO of TRENDS, set out how research centres can support sustainability policies. Dr. Al-Ali outlined the organisation’s experience in turning research findings into concrete outputs that help decision-makers address complex social, economic and environmental challenges.

Dr. Al-Ali explained that think tanks are no longer limited to analysing problems and issuing recommendations. These institutions now also anticipate emerging trends and participate in designing forward-looking strategies. According to Dr. Al-Ali, this shift increases their duty to convert academic and scientific studies into realistic policies and programmes that focus on visible results.

Dr. Al-Ali said decision-makers need short, clear messages written in accessible language to support effective choices. He added that building trust with government institutions and non-government partners is key for impact. Dr. Al-Ali also noted that modern development depends on integrated solutions, flexible policy tools and responses that reflect the linked nature of sustainability issues worldwide.

Technology featured strongly in Dr. Al-Ali’s intervention. Dr. Al-Ali stressed that advances in digital tools, artificial intelligence and the wider digital economy are reshaping development paths. Dr. Al-Ali underlined that countries and institutions must contribute to developing these technologies, rather than limiting themselves to adoption, if they wish to benefit fully from them.

Reviewing the centre’s activities, Dr. Al-Ali said TRENDS has created a distinctive approach over more than ten years. The model aligns research with sustainability-centred policymaking and focuses on themes such as the circular economy and the knowledge economy. It also includes events that examine development priorities and technological shifts closely tied to sustainability goals.

TRENDS’ work also extends to international engagement and advisory roles. Dr. Al-Ali pointed to the centre’s participation in major global meetings related to sustainability, as well as partnerships that enable knowledge exchange. TRENDS also prepares advisory studies that help institutions design and implement development plans in line with national and regional objectives.

Dr. Al-Ali explained that TRENDS has launched several platforms to broaden public understanding of sustainability. These include the TRENDS Knowledge platform, a specialised platform focused on artificial intelligence, and a research programme that studies how artificial intelligence supports development. Dr. Al-Ali added that the centre has set up a dedicated AI Studies Department to coordinate these efforts.

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Recognition of this work came during the forum when Dr. Shaikh Abdulla bin Ahmed Al Khalifa honoured TRENDS Research & Advisory. The recognition highlighted the centre’s role in using knowledge production and scientific research to support sustainable development initiatives, and reflected growing regional interest in think tanks as partners in long-term development planning.

With inputs from WAM