The Japanese Center for Middle East (JCCME) has set up a water desk in Jeddah to promote Japanese investment and technology transfer on water projects in Saudi Arabia, according to a report published today by Saudi Gazette. The Japanese Water Desk (JWD) was set up in early March at the premises of the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce, which has ties with the JCCME over the project. The objective of JWD is to support promotion of technology transfer and direct investment from Japan to Saudi Arabia in the private sector in water resources and related projects, said Hideki Kono, the JCCME executive director, during a conference at the Jeddah Hilton. The Japanese Consulate in Jeddah said the water desk was opened to fill in the Kingdom's need for urgent attention on water-related issues. The plan was formed during talks between Crown Prince Abdullah Bin Abdul-Aziz, the Deputy Premier and Commander of the National Guard and Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi in Riyadh in May 2003. The two countries agreed to cooperate in water resources project. The program also sought to strengthen the ties between the Kingdom and Japan. Officials said JWD's main concern is to give information to Japanese and Saudi companies interested in investing on water projects in the Kingdom as well as to monitor and follow up the activities of Japan-Saudi joint investment ventures. --MORE 1102 Local Time 0802 GMT
