One of the most consistent priorities identified by our members large and small and across every sector — is air service. We regularly hear about the need for more competition, lower fares, and more nonstop destinations. And of course, [that leads to] the inevitable question: when is Southwest coming? [Now], we can answer that question, as Southwest Airlines has announced it will begin service in Syracuse Nov. 14.

Southwest will begin offering three flights a day between Syracuse and Baltimore-Washington International Airport. From there, Southwest passengers can connect directly to 68 other cities. [The airline will also offer] weekly flights directly to Orlando, which introduces even more competition on that route. Nonstop flights to additional cities could be announced in 2022.

One of the things that struck me in our conversations with Southwest, and something we can all take pride in, is the growth potential they see in this market. Originally, Syracuse was to be an additional feed into their network or an “origin” market. However, after spending some time here, they saw all this region has to offer, including the Adirondacks, wine country, world-class fishing and so much more. It was then they recognized Syracuse as a “destination” point on the Southwest map.

Beyond tourism, we know that competitive air service is a vital factor in economic development and that frequent service to a variety of destinations attracts firms by facilitating face-to-face contact with businesses in other cities. This is why our team, led by Kevin Schwab, has advocated for enhanced air service and why welcoming Southwest is an important milestone in those longtime efforts.

Our region is also incredibly fortunate to have the exceptional team at the Syracuse Regional Airport Authority, led by Jason Terreri and Jennifer Sweetland. They have done an amazing job of making the case why Syracuse should be Southwest’s newest destination by providing data and giving Southwest’s route planners a real picture of what’s happening here. It is exactly the forward thinking, innovative outreach that we envisioned a decade ago when we led the push to create a professionally run airport authority in Syracuse.

It is also important to acknowledge those CenterState CEO members who demonstrated that enhanced air service is priority to the business community by stepping forward with $250,000 in contributions to our Air Service Development Fund. The fund was critical to our pitch to Southwest and will be used to offset startup costs in the market and help to ensure that Southwest gets off to a successful start in Syracuse.

[The Southwest] announcement is one that we can all celebrate, as strong air service reflects on the strength of our regional economy. We look forward to continuing our efforts to deliver better, [less expensive], and more convenient air service to Central New York. For more information, contact Kevin Schwab, CenterState CEO’s senior aviation industry advisor, at kschwab@centerstateceo.com.        

Robert M. Simpson is president and CEO of CenterState CEO, the primary economic-development organization for Central New York. This article is drawn and edited from the “CEO Focus” email newsletter that the organization sent to members on June 10.

Looking back over the years that have been involved with foreign policy, I find it noteworthy that policymakers spend so much time and attention on the Middle East. It has only 3 percent of the world’s population and is not particularly wealthy or powerful, but the world watches and is often fixated there. 

The region is in a state of permanent conflict with periodic bloodshed. A lasting solution is unlikely. 

Last month the international focus was again on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. As tensions rose, Hamas militants fired rockets into Israel, and Israel launched air attacks on Gaza. Twelve Israelis and at least 230 Palestinians were killed. President Joe Biden got involved, speaking by phone with Israeli and Palestinian leaders. Secretary of State Antony Blinken flew to the region to support a cease-fire and offer U.S. help rebuilding Gaza. 

Along with the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the Middle East faces tensions that cry out for attention, including wars, terrorism, autocratic rulers, lack of vibrant economic growth, and human-rights abuses. It is a diverse region, with countries that vary widely. The largest nation by population is Egypt, with a little over 100 million people. The largest by area is Saudi Arabia, about three times the size of Texas. At the other extreme is Bahrain, with fewer than 2 million people in a country about the size of a typical Indiana county. 

The region has a young population, with about half the people under age 24, but education lags. There is a mismatch between the knowledge that students learn and the skills that employers require. According to UNESCO, one in five children in the region are out of school, often because of wars and violence. Girls are more likely than boys to be deprived of education. 

The region’s economy depends overwhelmingly on energy; it is home to about half the world’s proven oil reserves. Saudi Arabia has the second-most oil reserves in the world, behind Venezuela, and is the top exporter and the No. 2 producer of oil. But despite the energy wealth, the Middle East is responsible for only about 4 percent of the world’s GDP. Germany, for example, has fewer than one-third as many people, but the German economy is larger than that of the entire Middle East and North Africa. 

Many of the largest and most powerful countries in the Middle East are ruled by royal families or military leaders. Democracy struggles to be born in most of the countries. Instability and terrorism plague the region, including Iraq, where about 2,500 U.S. troops remain to guard against a resurgent ISIS. In Syria, 10-year civil war has killed hundreds of thousands of people and displaced 12 million from their homes. In Yemen, an anti-government uprising morphed into a proxy war with forces backed by Saudi Arabia and its allies on one side and by Iran on the other. A financial crisis threatens stability in Lebanon. 

With so many intractable problems and so little reason for optimism, it’s tempting to divert our attention, but the Middle East cannot be ignored. Its location — where Europe, Asia, and Africa converge — gives it strategic importance. Its energy resources have a global impact with far-reaching consequences. Its volatility could spark outbreaks of carnage and chaos. 

It is, of course, the cradle of three great religions: Islam, Judaism, and Christianity. More than half the world’s people practice religions that have their holiest sites in the Middle East. 

No wonder, then, the region has long captured our attention. That will not change.        

Lee Hamilton, 90, is a senior advisor for the Indiana University (IU) Center on Representative Government, distinguished scholar at IU Hamilton Lugar School of Global and International Studies, and professor of practice at the IU O’Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs. Hamilton, a Democrat, was a member of the U.S. House of Representatives for 34 years (1965-1999), representing a district in south central Indiana.