a href="/myfiles/Images/2014/04/03/ki03_big.jpg" title="Ziad Atallah, Lebanese consul general, and Sheikh Mazen Batarji, deputy chairman of JCCI, at a press conference announcing the "Lebanese Week" in Jeddah. — Courtesy photo " Ziad Atallah, Lebanese consul general, and Sheikh Mazen Batarji, deputy chairman of JCCI, at a press conference announcing the "Lebanese Week" in Jeddah. — Courtesy photo
Samar Yahya Saudi Gazette
JEDDAH — The “Lebanese Week” will be held at Jeddah Center for Forums and Events from April 5-8. Business meetings and workshops will take place on April 6 at the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry (JCCI), it was announced at a press conference here on Monday. The Consulate General of Lebanon will host "Lebanese Hands in Saudi Arabia" on April 8. “These commercial events in Saudi Arabia will take place as part of the strong historical relations between the two countries in light of the economic renaissance, which the Kingdom is witnessing due to several investment programs and the mega projects launched by Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah," Lebanese Consul General Ziyad Attallah said. The "Lebanese Week" aims to promote Lebanon at all levels, including industries, services, real estate and the Lebanese cuisine as part of enhancing competitiveness in various Lebanese products in Saudi market. Sheikh Mazen Batarji, deputy chairman of JCCI said: “Trade exchanges between Lebanon and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia reached $783 million and Saudi investments in Lebanon totaled $16 billion. These investments were classified by the Saudi Council of Chambers in three categories: real estate, commercial and services. For example, the Saudi investments in the real estate sector is 85 percent including investments in lands and 15 percent invested in residential properties." The "Lebanese Week" will give a chance to entrepreneurs to host the "Lebanese-Saudi meeting" which will have business-to-business meetings between senior Lebanese economic delegation members and their Saudi counterparts, Batarji said. In this regard, an open invitation has been extended to Saudi businessmen. "By taking part in the deliberations of the business meeting, they can develop and improve their business and open new vistas for extending the investment cooperation between Lebanon and Saudi Arabia," Batarji said. Jeddah was chosen as the venue of the Lebanese Week due to its economic and investment importance, and to utilize its position as the financial and business hub of Saudi Arabia, he said. Elie Rizk, head of Lebanese–Saudi Economic Relations Commission, the "Lebanese Week" in Jeddah was a result of an agreement signed between Mohammed Ashkar, chairman of the Lebanese Chambers Union, chairman of Lebanon Chamber of Commerce and Mount of Lebanon; and Sheikh Saleh Kamel, chairman of the JCCI. The two chambers agreed to activate and support all commercial and economical activities for the sake of the two countries.
