Presided by the Qatar State Minister for Energy & Industry Affairs
A Press Conference to Announce the Convening of the
Arab International Industrial Forum
Arab and Foreign Industry Ministers and
Export Agencies to Take Part in the Forum
The city of Doha will host an important Arab and international event, the Arab International Industrial Forum, which will be held at the Doha Exhibition Center under the Patronage of HH Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Al Thani, Emir of the State of Qatar. The Forum is organized by the Arab Organization for Industrial Development and Mining, the Qatar Ministry of Energy & Industry and Al-Iktissad Wal-Aamal Group, in cooperation with the sole strategic partner, Qatar Petroleum.
The Forum and accompanying industrial exhibition will bring together a large number of Arab and foreign ministers of industry, mining and trade, including the Turkish Minister of Industry and Trade HE Mr. Nihat Ergun who will head a senior Turkish delegation, the Lebanese Minister of Industry Mr. Abraham Dedeyan, heads of export and investment guarantee authorities in the Arab world, in addition to a host of business leaders, investors and industrialists from the Arab world and other countries.
In parallel with the Forum, the Arab Organization for Industrial Development and Mining will hold its annual ministerial meeting, which will be attended by most Arab industry and mining ministers. The accompanying exhibition will include country pavilions as well as stands for leading Arab and international industrial companies and organizations.
The Forum will discuss the following issues: Attractiveness of the Arab world for investment in mining and industry, Arab and international success stories in manufacturing, impact of the global crisis on the Arab industrial sector, sources of financing and export guarantees, exports as a leading factor in nurturing industrial development, research and development.
Exhibitors at the accompanying industrial exhibition will come from: Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, UAE, Jordan, Iraq, Sudan, Libya and Germany.
Companies and organizations that are sponsoring the Forum include: Qatar Steel Company, Qatar Development Bank, Qatalum, QAPCO, TASWEEQ, Construction Products Holding Company CPC (Saudi Arabia) and KENANA Renewable Green Source of Food & Energy-KSC (Sudan).
The forum was announced today in a press conference in Doha that was attended by the State Minister for Energy & Industry Affairs in Qatar, HE Dr. Mohammed Bin Saleh Al Sadah and Faysal Abu Zaki, Deputy CEO of Al-Iktissad Wal-Aamal Group.
HE Dr. Mohammed Bin Saleh Al Sadah stressed that the State of Qatar gives particular importance to the Arab International Industrial Forum which is being held under exceptional circumstances due to the international financial crisis which has evolved into an economic crisis that impacted most of the world. Among the main implications of the crisis has been a shift on the part of investors towards direct investment in the productive sectors, particularly industry. The importance given by Qatar to the forum is best reflected in the Patronage of HH The Emir of Qatar Sheikh Khlaifa bin Hamad Al Thani, who has always had a vision and special interest in national economic matters, and always looked forward towards greater Arab and international economic cooperation. HE Dr. Al Sadah further stressed that for its part, the Ministry of Energy & Industry has supported the idea of holding the Forum since its inception and is participating actively in its organization, while Qatar Petroleum was quick to provide its support as sole strategic partner of the Forum.
HE Dr. Al Sadah also pointed out that the Forum is made more important by the fact that it will coincide with the ministerial board meeting of the Arab Organization for Industrial Development and Mining with the participation of most Arab industry and mining ministers.
HE Dr. Al Sadah considered that the time is ripe to achieve a greater and wider scope of industrial integration among the Arab countries that will form the basis for wider economic integration. The Forum comes at an appropriate time of important developments in the industrial sector in Qatar and the other Gulf countries with the growth of the new petrochemical industries in which Qatar has a special and long experience, and that helped in creating a large number of employment opportunities, particularly for university graduates and holders of higher degrees. There are also the new eco-friendly industries, alternative and sustainable energy industries, and nano and electronic industries. All these modern industries according to HE Dr. Al Sadah provide major opportunities for investment and integration, as well as creating many and varied new employment opportunities.
HE Dr. Al Sadha further pointed out that HE Mr. Abdullah Bin Hamad Al-Attiyah, Deputy Premier - Minister of Energy & Industry, has sent out invitations to all Arab ministers of industry and mining, and to officials in charge of finance, export guarantee and investment agencies in the Arab world, as well as to a number of foreign ministers and senior officials to attend the Forum and the accompanying exhibition. The Forum, in his opinion, will be an occasion for participants from both the public and private sectors to discuss industrial strategies, financing and investment programs, and investment opportunities, such as to make the Forum an important milestone in the history of Arab industry. Foreign participants will also have the opportunity of taking a closer look at successful industrial development projects and programs in different countries.
Mr. Abou Zaki expressed his deep thanks to The Emir of Qatar, HH Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Al Thani, for his patronage of the Forum and to the Qatari government for its support and interest. He said that the Forum comes in the aftermath of the global crisis to confirm once again the strategic importance of industry in the region and it role in economic development, especially in terms of improving economic competitiveness and technical know-how, creating new employment opportunities, enriching human capital, and promoting economic stability.
Abou Zaki added that Al-Iktissad Wal-Aamal Group is proud of its partnership with the Ministry of Energy & Industry in Qatar headed by HE Mr. Abdullah Bin Hamad Al-Attiyah and HE Dr. Mohammed Bin Saleh Al Sadah, and the Arab Organization for Industrial Development and Mining in organizing this important industrial event which will discuss the present and future state of Arab industry in light of ongoing developments, and provides an opportunity for countries to present their industrial development strategies, as well as investment opportunities.
Abou Zaki explained that the accompanying Arab and international exhibition, which hosts governments, private companies, and financing, trade and export guarantee authorities, will allow participants to explore new markets, and to meet with policy makers, industrialists, and heads of financing and export guarantee agencies. He stressed that as the date of the form approaches, interest is mounting on the part of Arab governments, government agencies and companies, as well as internationally, to participate.
Abou Zaki ended by highlighting the importance of cooperation of the Qatar Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and all companies and parties that have sponsored the Forum.
The organizers have announced that the Forum will take place over a two-day period while the exhibition will be open to the public for four days.
