Gulf Research Center (GRC) and The Stimson Center

“Global Trends 2025: A Transformed World”
Discussion of National Intelligence Council’s
Working Draft Report 

Thursday, October 9, 2008

The Gulf Research Center (GRC) in cooperation with the Henry L. Stimson Center of Washington, D.C., held a half-day workshop on October 9, 2008 to discuss the draft report of the National Intelligence Council entitled Global Trends 2025: A Transformed World. The National Intelligence Council (NIC) is the center for mid-term and strategic thinking of the US intelligence community. Every four years, the NIC publishes a study on global trends over the next 15-20 years. The next edition is due for publication in December 2008 but as part of the process of preparing the report, experts both in the United States and overseas are consulted to provide their insights and give their comments on the report"s comments.

The meeting included an introduction explaining the scope and context of the Global Trends 2025 report followed by a discussion of the overall approach, major trends and scenarios. The meeting then opened for a general discussion of specific issues of interest discussed in the report including the rise of emerging players, a new transnational agenda, the prospects for terrorism and conflict, the question of whether the international community would be up to the challenges that a shifting world presents, and role of the United States in a new multi-polar environment.