Fikremariam Tesfaye
9 November 2009
Addis Abeba — A Saudi-East African Forum to be organized under the auspices of the business community of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia from November 13 - 15, 2009 in Addis Ababa. Over seven countries are expected to participate including Ethiopia, Djibouti, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, Somalia and Uganda.
The Forum offers a unique opportunity for businesses to engage, promote and exhibit their products and services. The event will also provide an investor's forum, discussions and workshops, interactive and bilateral meetings that will be arranged between the visitors and local businesses, said Ambassador Mohamoud Dirir, Minister of Culture and Tourism and Supervisor of the Forum at the press conference held at Millennium Hall on Saturday.
The purpose of the Forum is to promote partnership and cooperation between the business community of Saudi Arabia and East African countries.
According to Ambassador Mohamoud, the Saudi investors are interested to invest in Ethiopia on infrastructure, public and private service investment, agro-industry, export oriented crops, hotel and tourism, real-estate, mining, energy, education and training, among others.
The Forum aims to ensure the benefits of successful relations that currently exist between the government of Saudi Arabia and East Africa, which will be shared by all businesses and bring about better life and economic opportunities for the peoples of the East African region, he added.
The Ambassador says, "This important gathering will host an international platform for East African governments and investors from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to meet and exchange insights and devise solutions to accelerate the pace of collaboration and forge new partnerships between Saudi Arabia and the East African governments and business community." Addis Ababa is chosen from other East-African countries because it is a home to the African Union and a multitude of international organizations and Embassies which makes the city an ideal location to network with businesses in the entire East African region and the rest of the continent, he said.
The conference will be organized at the ECA Conference center and will involve businesses, government organizations and other stake holders.
Side by side exhibition will take place (November 13-15) at the Millennium Hall in which more than 100 businesses, government offices and other organizations from Saudi Arabia and East African countries take part.
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