DR. IBRAHIM AL-ASSAF, MINISTER OF FINANCE, WILL OPEN HERE TOMORROW THE EUROMONEY SAUDI ARABIA CONFERENCE 2007 TO BE HELD UNDER THE TITLE "FINANCING A CHANGING WORLD", ORGANIZED BY INTERNATIONAL EUROMONEY CORPORATION WITH THE PARTICIPATION OF A NUMBER OF GOVERNMENTAL BODIES. DURING THE TWO-DAY EVENT, KEY ECONOMIC, FINANCE AND COMMUNICATION MINISTERS AND SENIOR OFFICIALS WILL ADDRESS THE GATHERING OF AN EXPECTED ONE THOUSAND PARTICIPANTS IN ADDITION TO AN ELITE OF FINANCE AND ECONOMIC EXPERTS FROM INSIDE AND OUTSIDE THE KINGDOM. THE CONFERENCE SUCCEEDS LAST YEAR'S SUCCESSFUL ONE WHICH ATTRACTED MORE THAN 900 BUSINESSMEN FROM 35 COUNTRIES. AMONG OTHER ISSUES, THE CONFERENCE WILL DISCUSS WAYS OF FINANCING SAUDI DEVELOPMENT PLANS INCLUDING THE ROLE OF INTERNATIONAL CAPITAL MARKETS IN THIS FIELD. IN A JOINT PRESS CONFERENCE AT AL-FAISALIA HOTEL IN RIYADH TODAY TO HIGHLIGHT THE EVENT, DR. HAMAD BIN SULEIMAN AL-BAZEA, UNDERSECRETARY OF THE MINISTRY OF FINANCE, AND RICHARD BANKS, REGIONAL DIRECTOR OF INTERNATIONAL EUROMONEY CONFERENCES, AL-BAZEA SAID THE SAUDI MINISTRY OF FINANCE MANAGES TO HELP EUROMONEY TO MAKE THE CONFERENCE A SUCCESS. WE HELP IN ORGANIZING THE EVENT AND NEVER INTERVENE IN PROPOSING THE ISSUES OF DISCUSSION OR CHOOSING THE GUESTS, HE SAID. ON HIS PART, BANKS CONFIRMED THE REAL WISH OF THE SAUDI GOVERNMENT TO HAVE THE TOPICS DISCUSSED AS THEY ARE ACCORDING TO MARKET REALITIES. HE SAID SOME 400 FINANCIAL EXPERTS FROM OUTSIDE THE KINGDOM ARE EXPECTED TO ATTEND, MAKING THE EVENT EUROMONEY'S MOST IMPORTANT IN THE MIDDLE EAST AND SIMILAR TO EUROMONEY'S ANNUAL CONFERENCE HELD IN THE CHINESE CAPITAL OF BEIJING. TOMORROW'S CONFERENCE WILL NOT DISCUSS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT BUT THE MECHANISMS OF FINANCE, HE CONCLUDED.
