Italian-Arab Enterprise Bourse: 'Arab world an opportunity'

(ANSAmed) - BARI, MAY 3 - "With trade totalling over 246 million euros in 2017, the countries of the Arab world - Saudi Arabia, Egypt, UAE, Kuwait, Oman and Qatar - are a strategic opportunity for Puglia," regional president Michele Emiliano said.
    In speaking at the opening ceremony for the Italian and Arab Enterprise Bourse in Bari on Thursday, Emiliano added that the countries "are a chance for significant dialogue for our region, which is geographically the gate to the East, and has always been a land of welcome and peace." The event focuses on the six Arab countries named by the regional president. The director of the regional economic development department, Domenico Laforgia, noted that "they are especially open to products like machinery, advanced mechanical engineering, green economy, building materials, biomedical equipment and cosmetics, all of which are linked to strategic sectors for Puglia." As part of the Bourse, he added, "it is important to raise awareness on Puglia products and know-how - basically the most innovative part of Puglia". "The aim of the initiative," he said, "is to promote the high-quality Puglia products, create the conditions for economic-trade collaboration, and present the strengths and investment opportunities in Puglia to those working abroad." The conference underway is entitled 'Italy and the Challenge of Arab Markets: Puglia in Enterprise Internationalization processes'. In the first session ('From the Mediterranean to the Persian Gulf: international scenarios and development prospects') there will be speeches by representatives of Arab governments, while in the second ('Opportunities and Support Tools for Internationalization') there will be a focus on banking system and trade relations. The program will continue with several theme-based seminars addressed to enterprises and open to the public. At 3 PM on Thursday, the focus was on Egypt, which offers a great deal of potential for Italian enterprises, with a speech by Aslayed Mohamed Doma (DOMA for development). At 4:30 there was a seminar on opportunities in Gulf countries with Radwan Abdulhakeem A. Hafiz (Saudi Food & Drug Authority), Ibrahim Muktar Tamer (Saudi Binladin Group) and Nicoletta Danieli (Oriens Consulting Dubai). (ANSAmed)