The Most Prestigious Economic and Business Event in the Middle East

For the sixteenth straight year, the Arab Economic Forum took place in Beirut under the patronage of the Prime Minister of Lebanon.

In keeping with the pattern of recent years, the 2008 forum attracted more than 500 participants from 17 countries, including prime ministers and ministers, top government officials and central bankers from Lebanon and the Arab countries, the heads of major banks, financial and investment institutions, and industrial and commercial companies from the region, experts, representatives of major Arab and international media organizations, and others.

The 2008 forum came at a time of unprecedented change in the Arab world where a combination of rapidly growing oil surpluses, economic reform and liberalization, and massive expenditures on new development projects have boosted economic growth and the process of structural change in economies across the region, while establishing Arab companies and investments as major players on the international market. But many challenges lie ahead including the growing inflationary pressures, the dollar crisis and its impact on the purchasing power of Arab oil revenues and currencies, and the ever present political and security threats in the region.

In light of all that, the 2008 Arab Economic Forum on the following major issues:

• The continuing oil boom and its implications for the future Arab economy.
• The changing investment environment in the Arab world and its competitiveness in attracting foreign investments.
• Living with the weak dollar: What is the ideal peg for Arab currencies.
• The threat of inflation and policy options to control it.
• Mega real estate projects and their impact on the real estate market in the region.
• Investment strategies of the rising sovereign investment funds and their importance in boosting the Arab role in the international economy.
• The new banking paradigm in the Arab region: Developing project finance, retail and wealth management capabilities among local and foreign banks.
• The growing global presence of Arab companies.

The Arab Economic Forum 2008 is organized by Al Iktissad Wal Aamal Group in cooperation with the Central Bank of Lebanon, the Association of Banks in Lebanon, and the Institute of International Finance (IFC).