The Crans Montana Forum Middle East (CMF - ME) announced its upcoming Forum 'Strengthening GCC-Africa Cooperation', which will be held 1-3 December, 2008 at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel and Spa, Manama, Kingdom of Bahrain, under the high patronage of H.H. Shaikh Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa, Prime Minister of Kingdom of Bahrain.
This high profile economic and investment forum organised by Crans Montana Forum Middle East, in association with OFID OPEC Fund for International Development, is the first of its kind to connect African nations with Middle East representing a new era of South-South cooperation in today's rapidly globalizing world.
The historic event will provide a tangible platform for African Government Officials and Businesses, to meet with the GCC region's key bankers and investors to discuss recent developments and business opportunities and to promote foreign direct investment and trade. The Forum will focus on a number of targeted topics, including: Natural Resources, Mining, Oil and Gas, Energy, Renewable Energy, Transport, Industrial and Economic Infrastructure, Financial Services, Banking, Trade, Housing, Telecommunication, IT, Tourism, Manufacturing Industry, Public Health and related activities.
Africa is indeed high on the foreign investment agenda of most GCC countries and the relations between Africa and GCC have grown rapidly in recent years.
'The Gulf region is a leader in attracting two-way direct foreign investment and is becoming a major player on the International economic and financial scenes. At the very moment of Globalization, economic expansion of the Middle East, especially the Gulf area is absolutely impressive. A new market has born; a new hub for financial activities and investment is now integrating the World concert,' revealed Mr. Osama Al Khajah, Vice Chairman & Managing Director of CMF - ME. Gulf businesses have been making significant foreign direct investments in an increasing number of African sectors. Young and expanding players on international markets, they have repeatedly demonstrated willingness to take risks and operate in difficult environments into which Western multinational enterprises are reluctant to tread.
'This forum will provide a first-hand account of Africa's investment climate from a policy and regulatory environment perspective as well as enabling national, State, and Regional Governments, and the private sector, to showcase the clusters and projects that seek investments,' added CMF Chairman, Mr. Jean-Paul Carteron.
'Bahrain's geographical location makes it a point of gravitation for South-South Cooperation and will buttress efforts to implement realistic and mutually beneficial cooperation between the economies of the GCC states and Africa; and to facilitate economic relations between this group of resource-rich nations,' Mr. Carteron concluded.
The Forum is targeting: Policy makers and Officials from Governments and Para-governmental institutions, Parliaments, Chambers of Commerce, Businesses, Business associations, Foreign Chambers and Business Councils in the GCC Region, India and Africa, top executives from National Funds, Foreign Investment Funds, Investment and Financial Institutions, Banks including Islamic Banks, Institutional Investors, Corporate, traders, developers, and high net-worth individuals, Businesses targeted carefully according to the sectors of interest, International, Regional and Specialized Organizations, Chiefs of Missions and Diplomats.
Since 1989, the Crans Montana Forum has been devoted to the Economic development and the World Integration of Africa through Economic Growth, Trade Capacity Building, Natural Resources management and Infrastructure Development.
For further information on the Forum or sponsorship opportunities, please visit the Crans Montana Forum website or call +973 17 382240.
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For further information, kindly contact:
Samra Al-Rashdi
Media Relations
EVENTSCOM
T: (+973) 17 226 775
F: (+973) 17 226 698
P.O. Box 2922
Manama, Kingdom of Bahrain
© Press Release 2008
