On behalf of King Abdullah, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, Prince Khalid Al-Faisal, Emir of Makkah region will inaugurate Jeddah Economic Forum (JEF) Saturday evening. JEDDAH — The 12th Jeddah Economic Forum (JEF '12), entitled “Beyond Borders, Building Tomorrow's Economies” opens Saturday at the Jeddah Hilton. The three-day event to be inaugurated by Prince Khalid Al-Faisal, Emir of Makkah region, will be attended by 3,000 economic specialists who will hear national and international speakers focus on the recurring global economic crisis and the need for greater connectivity to achieve sustainable growth in the national economy. For the first time, the inauguration ceremony will be preceded by a scientific session entitled “Cooperation for the sake of people who take the initiative” in which Dr. Tawfiq Bin Fowzan Al-Rabi'ah, Minister of Commerce and Industry, and Adil Fakieh, Minister of Labor will speak. The session will be moderated by Dr. Luma Bint Abdulaziz Al-Sulaiman, Deputy Chairwoman of Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry (JCCI). The session which will start at 6:00 PM will feature a discussion of the aspects of cooperation between the ministries of commerce and industry and labor so as to help young entrepreneurs set up projects and achieve success in a market that is crowded with small and medium enterprises. Adnan Bin Hussein Mandourah, Secretary General of JCCI, said the first session preceding the inauguration will witness the signing of an agreement on the Intilaqah Program between JCCI and Shell International. The program aims to provide training to youths to become successful young entrepreneurs as well as to set up workshops and training courses for interested young people. The events, as outlined by JEF's official website, encompass a wide range of issues confronting the economic global landscape vis-a-vis regional responses. Day 1 opens with the theme “Beyond Borders”, which examines how greater connectivity in today's world has been both actual and digital, connecting cities with cities, countries with countries and regions with other regions. Issues to be addressed include how people and businesses should be able to do business easier and economies attract greater investment and create more value in an era of greater economic interdependence. Discussion will include: “Beyond BRICs: Seeking economic growth in an era of debt”, “Building Blocs: A global re-focus on models of regional co-operation”, and “GCC Consolidation: Analyzing the economics of greater GCC integration”. The theme for Day 2 is “Regional Priorities”, which will examine how the Middle East, strategically placed between North Africa and South Asia, in 2011, dominated global media headlines as the region was swept by political turmoil. It will deal with the winds of change that swept across borders, leaving no country in the region unaffected. The event will focus on the priorities – the 3Es of education, employment and entrepreneurship which will not only lead to greater economic prosperity in the region, but will allow the emerging markets of the region to mature and become competitive globally. The theme for Day 3 is “Arabian Future”, which will examine Saudi Arabia's vision to build the economy and society of tomorrow, bringing prosperity and stability for generations to come. Three opportunities for advancing this vision are found in sessions including: “Brand Arabia: Globalizing regional value creation”, “Arabian Philanthropy: Enhancing the art of ‘giving back' to society” and “Arabian Generation: Harnessing the positive impact of social networking by youth”.
