Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas (1st R, front) is seen at the opening of the 17th World Economic Forum on the Middle East and North Africa at the Dead Sea area in Jordan, on April 6, 2019. The World Economic Forum (WEF) on the Middle East and North Africa 2019 kicked off on Saturday in Jordan with more than 1,000 participants from more than 50 countries. The forum, which was the 17th in the region, called for united efforts to address the region's most pressing challenges. (Xinhua/Mohammad Abu Ghosh)