Closing Statement

The "Arab International Industrial Forum" was held in Doha during the period 25-26 May 2010 under the Patronage of HH Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Al Thani, Emir of the State of Qatar, and was attended by Arab and Foreign Ministers of Industry and Trade, senior officials and Arab and international business and private sector leaders, Arab and regional organizations, authorities, and associations, and Arab chambers of commerce and industry.

The forum's sessions covered the following main topics: Attractiveness of the Arab region for investment in industry; prospects for industrial development in Arab and neighboring countries; role of the private sector in industrial development; financing sources and export credit guarantees; basic industries and small and medium-sized industries; quality and competitiveness requirements in global markets, and future industries and nanotechnology applications. An accompanying industrial exhibition was also held during the period from 25 to 28 May, with the participation of many Arab companies.

Participants at the Forum called for: An emphasis on investment to be the main engine of industrial development; the channeling of investments to small and medium sized manufacturing industry; linking agriculture and industry; concentrating on knowledge-based processes and future industries, especially nanotechnology applications; the establishment of joint Arab Arab-foreign companies; focusing on raw materials available in the Arab world; easing the movement of materials and goods between Arab countries; speeding up the transition from the Free Trade Area to the Arab Customs Union in light of the decision of the Arab Summit in Kuwait to this effect; encouraging the Arab private sector to activate its role in funding and investment in Arab industrial development; establishing an action plan to eliminate obstacles facing Arab industry; promoting the establishment of Arab trading houses in the Arab countries to guarantee and facilitate exports; establishing Arab shipping companies that would contribute to the development of Arab and international trade; inviting the organization to pursue with the Arab private sector and concerned authorities the establishment of an Arab holding company for industrial investment in small and medium industries; reviewing Arab development policies and strategies in line with international developments; establishing uniform standards for the evaluation of projects and their comparison with projects in the developed countries, such that it would also include the constraints faced by small and medium industries; the development of a system of industrial governance in Arab industry; inviting the Arab states to support research, development and innovation, and to give attention to green industries; approving the Arab Initiative for Nanotechnology, and inviting the Arab Fund for Economic and Social Development to allocate a limited budget to support small and medium sized industries under the supervision of the Arab Organization for Industrial Development and Mining.

Participants at the forum expressed their thanks, appreciation and gratitude to HH Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Al Thani, Emir of the State of Qatar for his patronage of the event, and for hosting the forum and exhibition in Qatar. The participants also thanked HE Mr. Abdullah Bin Hamad Al-Attiyah, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Energy and Industry for acting as President of the Forum and providing all the necessary support through his ministry for its success.