DOHA, Qatar – As the GCC countries are among the world's largest consumers of metal products, such as iron, steel and aluminum, the expected production of aluminum may account for over 15 percent of the global production until 2020, if the planned aluminum projects are carried out by the GCC countries, particularly in Qatar, the UAE and Saudi Arabia. This trend will result in a demand driven shortage that will lead to imports from abroad. This will give the industrial sector additional incentives to expand and to attract more investments in line with local production frameworks, its development and, the requirements of the targeted growth. Frost & Sullivan said in its “Outlook for 2020 Mega Trends for the Aluminum Industry In Middle East…” said the aluminum production in the Middle East is expected to grow significantly in the short to medium term, adding that the region is expected to contribute about 15 percent of the total global production of aluminum by 2015. The report noted that the Middle East traditionally has been exporting a major portion of their production in primary aluminum form. Against this backdrop, the Arab International Aluminum Conference (ARABAL 2012), which will be held in Doha on Nov. 20-22, will highlight the importance of aluminum-related manufacturing industries, and to promote these industries and foreign investments in the region's countries. In this regard, Arabal's organizing committee said post-crisis investment plans focus on all projects that help increase the share of productive sectors in GDP, improve the competitive edge of their products, and cope with the requirements of export markets. They also said that recently special attention has been paid by the region's countries to increasing the contribution of the industrial sector in GDP, as the industrial sector is the second most viable sector within the oil and gas rich region. By doing so, they aim at diversifying sources of income, achieving optimal utilization of resources, and maximizing the added value of the region's abundant natural reserves. The committee added that the trend is now highlighting and promoting the existing attractive investment climate in GCC countries and beyond in the region, particularly in Qatar, which adopts a free economic policy and a legal framework that ensures enough incentives and facilities are offered to investors to help boost the feasibility of their current and future enterprises. Qatar is committed to not imposing any restrictions on foreign capital investment in order to allow completion between foreign and national capitals on and equal footing. Petrochemical and oil refining industries are leading the way in the GCC's industrial sector, followed by the iron, steel, metal and aluminum industries. All types of primary metal industries have significantly grown to double over the past decade, while the volume of investment has grown several times over the same period. – SG
