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25 May 2010

ESCWA Participates in Arab International Industrial Forum in Doha

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Under-Secretary-General and ESCWA Executive Secretary Badr AlDafa said the basic indicator for industrial development in any country is the value added index of manufacturing industries. AlDafa made his remarks in a statement delivered on 25 May during the opening of the International Industrial Forum in Doha, Qatar, under the auspices of Qatari Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani. AlDafa said the value added index decreased by more than 10 percent in some industrialized countries, while it increased by 2.5 percent in developing countries. The four-day forum, which ends 28 May, is attended by several ministers and senior officials from Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, United Arab Emirates, Turkey and Malaysia, as well as Arab and international experts. The Executive Secretary referred to basic conditions that are necessary for improving the competitiveness of Arab industries and attracting investments in production processes. He said it was imperative to make full use of the Arab region’s comparative advantages, such as the availability of oil, gas and solar energy throughout the year and called for innovative, sustainable and environment friendly means to address scarcity of water resources. AlDafa noted that the multi-dimensional impact of the global financial crisis has not ended and that it could take years to overcome. He said ESCWA “could play a vital role in promoting industrial development in member countries by working with the various partners, particularly the Arab Industrial Development and Mining Organization (AIDMO), in many areas but particularly in coordinating policies and legislations among member countries; unifying standards; facilitating intra-regional trade by simplifying and standardizing procedures; building capacities in management and strategic planning in the industrial sector.” The four-day Forum, which ends 28 May, revolves around topics such as how attractive the Arab region is for industrial and mining investments, the impacts of the global financial crisis on those two sectors, financial resources, the private sector’s role in mining and the development of small and medium industries, export industries and finally future industries . The Forum is the first in the Arab region that deals with Arab industrial development, its international opportunities and the means of upgrading its outputs to become competitive. It also looks into promoting new areas for investment, opening new markets for Arab industrial products, and remaining informed about the latest industrial technologies. The Forum is organized by AIDMO, the Qatari Ministry of Energy and Industry and Al-Iktissad Wal-Aamal Group, in collaboration with the Qatari Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Qatar Petroleum.
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