The transport sector in Egypt has witnessed a fast pace of development plans and projects that have attracted major foreign investments in parallel with the rapid growth of the Egyptian economy and the reform agenda which have shaped a new investment climate in Egypt.

The transport sector plays a focal role in an economy and is one of the key components of growth given the importance of transportation and logistics as incentives to the development of the industrial and services sectors, particularly in terms of promoting complementarities, between these two sectors, as well as its impact on cost and the competitiveness. The roads, railways, airports and new ports being developed in Egypt naturally complement developmental plans in the agricultural and industrial sectors, the creation of new tourism resorts and destinations, and the expansion of international trade and logistical services. Needless to say transport sector in Egypt has a regional and international dimension given its strategic location between Europe, Asia and Africa and its importance as a major trade hub especially given the importance of the Suez Canal in the world economy.

The reform process taking place in Egypt has become a center of attention for economic policy makers as well as investors on the Arab and international level given the success achieved so far. From this perspective, it is expected that the reform agenda of the transport sector in Egypt will be of key importance in representing a governmental reform model of restructuring this sector and expanding its role on the regional level.

In light of all this, the Arab Transport Forum will be held on the 10th and 11th of March 2008 in Semiramis Intercontinental Hotel Cairo, Egypt under the Patronage of H.E. Dr. Ahmed Nazif, Prime Minister in Egypt. The Forum is organized by Al-Iktissad Wal-Aamal Group, in partnership with the Ministry of Transport, and in cooperation with the League of Arab Sates, the Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia “ESCWA” and the International Road Transport Union “IRU”.

The Forum will shed the light on the transport sector in Egypt and ongoing development projects and plans as well as highlighting key transportation projects in the Arab world, the role of logistics service in stimulating demand for transport facilities and projects, the importance of new technology in this sector and the extent to which it is being invested and applied in Egypt and the Arab world. The forum will also feature key investment opportunities in the transport sector in Egypt and the Arab world including:

• Ports and maritime transport
• Highways and Arab transport networks
• Railways
• River transportation

The Arab Transport Forum will bring together senior Egyptian, Arab and international government officials, business and investment leaders, the heads of major corporations, banks, and financial institutions, fund managers, financial market executives, economists, and other experts.