The deputy president of the National Land Transport committee at the Saudi Chambers of Commerce and Industry Ali Saeed Bin Al-Bassami said that the Jeddah Commercial Forum will be inaugurated on June 15 under the patronage of Prince Khaled Al-Faisal, Emir of Makkah Region. The forum, whose speakers include ministers and senior officials, will discuss ways to promote the economic development of the country. “Jeddah always organizes events and programs for the progress and development of trade and commerce and because of that, it is one of the most prominent cities for forums and events in the Middle East,” said Al-Bassami. The forum will attempt to resolve some of the commercial problems faced by businessmen along with a number of issues of vital interest to all the members of the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry (JCCI), he said. “Minister of Trade and Industry, Abdullah Bin Ahmed Zainal Alireza, will provide an overview of the Saudi economy, highlighting those local companies which are the symbols of the Kingdom's strong economic development in the face of the global financial crisis,” Al-Bassami added. He pointed out that investment projects in the Kingdom, which are worth more than SR300 billion, have not been affected by the global economic crisis and are expected to be completed in 2011. “The Saudi economy is strong. The government has initiated the implementation of development projects and has signed contracts worth more than $10 billion to support the non-oil sector,” Al-Bassami said. Dr. Khalid Mohamed Baturfi, assistant professor at the Prince Sultan College for Tourism and Management, said that he was optimistic about the future of the Kingdom's economy despite the global financial crisis.
