Samar Yahya Saudi Gazette JEDDAH – The first Saudi-Sudanese Economic Forum will be held in Riyadh on April 13-14 this year with the aim of promoting Sudanese projects in the Kingdom. The forum will discuss a number of topics related to the Saudi investment in Sudan, including problems and obstacles that impede the flow of Saudi capitals to Sudan. Sudan enjoys large fertile agricultural lands exempted from tax. In addition to the abundance of water, the country boasts manpower, climate and other natural factors essential for successful agricultural investment. Moreover, Sudan has issued new investment law that overcomes bureaucracy, introduced new measures that guarantees investors' funds, and facilitate all administrative procedures for investors. The Supreme Council for Investment, the highest authority for investment in Sudan, headed by the President of Sudan, was founded to facilitate investment. The opening session of the two-day forum will be inaugurated with speeches by President of the Sudanese Employers' Federation Saud Al Barir and Chairman of the Saudi Commercial Chambers Council and Head of the Saudi-Sudanese Business Council Sheikh Saleh Kamel, President of the Islamic Chambers, Sudanese investment minister and Saudi agriculture minister. The following two sessions will show two documentary films on investment environment in Sudan and another documentary film on successful Saudi investments in Sudan. A third session will include six papers on investment sectors in Sudan such as metal, industry, agriculture, livestock and services. Second day sessions will see participation of economic officials from the ministry of finance, the Bank of Sudan, investment authority, and private sector. In addition, a number of states will exhibit projects.
