A UAE delegation headed by H.E. Sultan bin Saeed Al Mansouri, Minister of Economy (MoE), is participating in the fourth World Islamic Economic Forum which opened yesterday (Tuesday, April 29, 2008) in Kuwait City and will continue until May 1, 2008. The delegation also includes H.E. Khaled Ghanem Al Gaith, The UAE Ministry of Economy Assistant Undersecretary for Economic Affairs and International Cooperation; along with other officials from the Ministry of Economy and various interested parties.
Al Mansouri emphasized that the UAE MoE will continue to develop progressive strategies and policies to enhance national economic growth and thus contribute significantly to the prosperity of the Islamic community. He also pointed out that the Arab World recognizes the greater role it is playing in the global economy, in light of today’s volatile financial markets.
“It is inspiring to see how we as a region have chosen to take a unified stand in pursuing sustained development and resolving important global issues; it is also encouraging to entertain such strong interest from international businesses,” said Al Mansouri.
Al Mansouri also explained that the Forum provides an important platform for Arab business leaders and heads of government to discuss the current direction of the region’s economic activities, explore solutions to pressing issues and also interact with non-Muslim interests who want to invest in the growing Arab economies.
Organized under the theme “Islamic Countries: Partners in The Global Development,” the Forum gathers both Muslim and non-Muslim business leaders from around the world to discuss best practices, exchange ideas, strengthen old partnerships and create new ones. It is preceded by the WIEF Businesswomen Forum and the WIEF Young Leaders Forum.
The Forum opened yesterday in the presence of H.H. Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, Emir of Kuwait and several other dignitaries including H.H. Sheikh Nasser Al-Mohammad Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, Prime Minister of Kuwait; H.H. Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, Prime Minister of Malaysia; H.H. King Abdullah II, Ruler of Jordan; Abdoulaye Wade, President of Senegal; and Dr. Ahmad Mohamed Ali Al-Madani, President of the Islamic Development Bank.
The Forum features an exclusive Leadership Panel themed “Islamic Countries in a Competitive World,” in addition to parallel sessions and meetings on small- to medium-sized enterprises; telecommunications, transport, and logistics; infrastructure and real estate development; and tourism and travel, and topics such as promoting the lucrative Muslim market; energy trends and directions; Gulf-Muslim World collaboration; and investment and poverty reduction.
Parallel sessions on the roles of education and the private sector in the development of the Islamic World will be conducted on the last day, followed by a concluding session and press conference. The Forum is expected to further strengthen cooperation among Islamic countries and also encourage more Arab cooperation on trade, technology, and capital flow. It also provides an excellent venue for promoting the various business opportunities offered by the UAE, which is considered the Arab World’s most active economy.
