Cairo, Egypt: February 26, 2017:  The Arab Union for International Exhibitions and Conferences (AUIEC) recently held its regular meeting at the general headquarters of Arab League’s General Secretariat of the Council of Arab Economic Unity in Cairo, Egypt. 

Chaired by HE Saif Mohammed Al Midfa, Chairman of AUIEC, the meeting was attended by representatives of 13 AUIEC member states. 

Participants discussed ways of developing the fairs and exhibitions sector in the Arab World and the strategies of building the capacities of all stakeholders with the aim of achieving the ultimate goal of Arab economic integration and promoting Arab products and industries in international markets.

The importance of this meeting stems from the crucial role the exhibitions industry plays in world economy, as it affects 40% of the marketing plans of any product. The Council of Arab Economic Unity also reviewed and approved AUIEC’s 2017 events calendar. 

Some of the major events to be organized will include the inaugural edition of “Made in the Arab World Exhibition”, that will be hosted by the UAE with wide participation from 13 Arab countries; in addition to the “Palestinian Investment Exhibition” which will take place in Jordan. Both exhibitions will be organized in collaboration with the General Secretariat of the Council for Arab Economic Unity.

Attendees also considered forming specialized committees to help enhance AUIEC’s efforts and highlight its role in bolstering the exhibitions industry across the Arab World. Thus, four committees were formed: Public Relations Committee, Exhibitions and Conferences Committee, Arbitration and Dispute Resolution Committee, in addition to the Research, Development and Training Committee.

The Council underlined Egypt’s leading role in supporting AUIEC and approved choosing a new AUIEC headquarters in Cairo. Mr. Salah Oman Al Shaikh from Sudan was also elected as the Second Deputy to the Chairman of AUIEC’s Board of Directors.

“This meeting represents a significant step in the accelerated efforts of advancing joint Arab economic action by nurturing pan-Arab trade and promoting specialized exhibitions in the Arab World, particularly by offering them the opportunity to spread their wings and become international events. It also helps increasing their contributions to the national economies of the individual Arab countries and reinvigorating their role in marketing Arab products on the global arena,” said HE Al Midfa, who also thanked Egypt for its unwavering support as the AUIEC’s permanent host country. 

“In this context, we have decided to launch a new, dedicated event, “Made in the Arab World” Exhibition, with the aim of supporting and promoting Arab industries and products on local, regional and international levels. This event also aims to introducing all consumer categories, whether Arab or international, to the immense development the Arab manufacturing and industrial sectors have achieved so far,” added Al Midfa.

For his part AUIEC Secretary General Mahmoud Al Jarrah also expressed his deep appreciation for Egypt’s hosting of AUIEC’s permanent general headquarters. He also pointed out that regulating the experiences of the Arab countries collectively under the umbrella of AUIEC is crucial for providing the ideal frameworks and circumstances for holding joint Arab events and exhibitions that shed light on the advanced levels of development Arab products have achieved. 

These events also help in the marketing process by drawing attention to the products’ competitive advantages compared to those of foreign merchandise. Such endeavors will open up new global markets for Arab commerce, either by organizing specialized exhibitions or increasing participation in international ones.

Attending some of the Council’s meetings and welcoming the guests, HE Ambassador Mohammed Al Rabea, Secretary General of the Council of Arab Economic Unity, expressed his full support for the Council in fulfilling its mission of boosting the presence of Arab industrial products and merchandize locally and globally and energizing inter-Arab trade to achieve Arab economic integration.

Al Rabea also explained that AUIEC is one of the key Arab specialized institutions that seek to improve Arab industrial and commercial products and offer them at competitive prices, indicating that the Union has started to fulfil its role in setting up a general framework for organizing exhibitions in all Arab countries and paving the way for them to transform into international events by supporting and providing them with the required expertise and modern marketing tools and mechanisms with the purpose of enhancing the technical aspects of organizing international exhibitions and conferences in the Arab World, which in turn enables these events to better achieve their intended goals. 

Attending part of the meeting, the Latvian Ambassadress to Egypt commended AUIEC’s role in supporting international trade and expressed her country’s wishes to boost cooperation with AUIEC by co-organizing exhibitions that introduce Arab products to Latvian consumers and Latvian products to Arab consumers.