Congress inaugurated today by HE Hamad Abdul Rahman Al Midfa, UAE Minister for Health
International experts at forum ponder over 'Meeting global demands'
Dubai - The Second Global Bottled Water Congress got under way in Dubai yesterday. Masafi, the region's leading producer of bottled mineral water is the host sponsor of this international event. The formal deliberations of the Congress, the first such conference in the Middle East, which includes an award ceremony, began today.
The Global Bottled Water Congress was inaugurated earlier today by His Excellency Hamad Abdul Rahman Al Midfa, UAE Minister for Health, at Mina A'Salam at the luxurious Madinat Jumeirah in Dubai.
The Congress - being held under the theme 'Meeting Global Demands' - is an international confluence of more than 150 delegates representing over 30 countries worldwide. Delegates at the Congress include owners, directors, senior management and marketing specialists of some of the world's best known bottled water producers.
On the first day yesterday, the participants were taken on a special tour of the state-of-the-art Masafi plant at Ras Al Khaimah. The tour ended with a Desert Safari and a Bedouin style dinner.
At the formal inauguration of the Congress, HE Al Midfa said: "This occasion is a time of celebration for us as the leading lights of the global bottled water industry have come together in Dubai. This is indeed a proud moment not only for us but the entire Middle East and Africa region, because it has given us the opportunity to challenge the prevalent notion of the region being associated with arid deserts and scarcity of water."
He added: "The demand for bottled water has increased substantially over the recent years and as of now the UAE leads the world in per capita consumption of this category of drinking water, with approximately 265 litres per year. Many factors, including the spurt in tourist arrivals, economic prosperity as well as the presence of excellent local brands of bottled water, have contributed to this."
Focusing on the UAE government's commitment to provide safe drinking water, he said: "The endeavour has been substantially backed by sustained corporate support and greatly enhanced awareness of the general public. Recognition of high standards of hygiene and maintaining quality standards has been the hallmark of UAE's progress and the bottled water industry has been no exception."
HE Al Midfa's speech was followed by a welcome address by Mr. Abdulaziz Al Ghurair, CEO of Mashreqbank psc and Chairman of Masafi Mineral Water Company LLC.
Welcoming the delegates, he said: "I am optimistic that the speakers will shed light on the subjects of importance for the global market, such as aspects which matter most to the consumers, environmental and social responsibility and developments in flavoured and functional waters. I call on the industry representatives to address key consumer needs -- origin, thirst, health, pleasure, safety, convenience and quality - to add value to consumers and thereby to the bottled water industry as a whole."
He added: "As we converge in the UAE, which has the highest bottled water consumption per person in the world, I would like to showcase the success achieved by Masafi over the past 3 decades - its growth from a local UAE company to the dining tables and supermarket shelves across the Arab world, Europe, Africa and other parts of Asia. I am confident that this Conference will prove to be enriching to all the participants and delegates, especially keeping in view the high quality participation from all over the globe."
The keynote address of the Congress was delivered by Mr. Jeff Caso, Senior Vice President (Marketing and Sales), Nestl Waters. The core theme of his address revolved on 'Giving consumers value around the world'. Masafi is hosting the event in collaboration with organizers Zenith International, Specialist Consultants to international food and drink industries.
The themes of the other addresses at the Congress's conference included World market growth and leading company analysis, Opportunities for International branding, Emerging Markets and emerging responsibilities, What consumers want from bottled water in emerging markets, Opportunities for seawater desalination and bottling and about Product innovation around the world.
The distinguished speakers who took part in the today's deliberations include Fady Juez, Managing Director, Metito Group; John Carroll, Director of Global Marketing - Bottled Water Brands, Coca Cola Company; Richard Evans, Vice President (Marketing and Sales), PepsiCo International; and others.
The event also witnessed the prestigious 2005 bottledwaterworld Design Awards, which was held at the Burj Al Arab.
Tomorrow, the Congress will witness case studies on functional water pioneers and new water concepts. The Second Global Bottled Water Congress will end with briefing workshops on Latest Flavoured and Functional Water Market Trends around the globe.
Masafi, which has become a generic name for mineral and bottled water in the entire Gulf region, has regularly taken part in international exhibitions, as well as sponsored many international events including the annual Dubai Tennis Championships and the Dubai Desert Classic Golf Tournament. Masafi has also supported government-driven initiatives like the Dubai Shopping Festival and Dubai Summer Surprises, and was a partner of Dubai 2003, which hosted the Annual Meetings of the Boards of Governors of the World Bank Group and International Monetary Fund in September 2003.
- Ends -
For further information, please contact:
Ghada Kammoun
Bates PanGulf PR
Tel: +971-4-2953456
Fax +971-4-2951027
Naeem Badiuzzaman
Bates PanGulf PR
Tel: +971-4-2953456
Fax +971-4-2951027
E-mail: naeem@batespangulf.com
© Press Release 2005
