Abu-Ghazaleh; Keynote Speaker at the 4th Conference of the Arab Federation of Arab Cities and Industrial Zones

DAMASCUS – HE Dr. Talal Abu-Ghazaleh, chair of the New York-based Consortium for Sustainable Urbanization (CSU), participated as a keynote speaker at the 4th conference of the Federation of Arab Cities and Industrial Zones that took place in Damascus – Syria, under the theme “Investment in the Arab Industrial Cities and Zones, and its Role in Making a Quantum Leap in the Arab Industry Strategy”.

The conference  participants included Arab and Syrian government officials, businessmen and investors concerned with the management and investment in industrial cities.

In his address, Dr. Abu-Ghazaleh stressed that the transformation of industrial cities and zones into smart and sustainable cities has become “inevitable”, particularly in light of the technological development and the shift to knowledge-based intelligent industrial production, as well as, the smart economy and government. He affirmed that such transformation achieves several common goals such as the protection of the environment, the provision of better services, and at the same time, it exports competitiveness. 

He further added that digital transformation is not limited to trade and business nor to e-government, as in fact it is an integrated strategy; thus expressing optimism with the shift of the Arab countries towards digital transformation.

He therefore called on all decision-makers in the Arab world to develop an integrated and consistent plan for digital transformation. 

He also referred to Talal Abu-Ghazaleh Global’s  mission in supporting the Arab governments and institutions by establishing –in record time- Talal Abu-Ghazaleh for Technology (TAGTech) which is specialized in manufacturing technological devices that serve digital transformation.

He said that the technological devices, including laptops, tablets and smartphones, which are currently manufactured in TAGTech’s factories in China, Egypt and Jordan, will in the near future be produced in additional factories in Oman, Algeria and Pakistan. 

During the opening session, Their Excellencies the Syrian Minister of Industry, and the Iraqi Minister of Industry and Minerals also delivered speeches.

The conference’s agenda included a number of meetings between government officials, businessmen and Chambers of Commerce and Industry representatives, to explore the investment opportunities in Syria during the reconstruction phase, as well as the available opportunities at Syria’s industrial cities.

The Conference further aimed at encouraging investments in the Arab cities and the industrial zones sector by highlighting successful investment experiences and investment incentives granted by the cities’ administrations in the Arab countries. The Conference also sought to encourage Arab and foreign investors and businessmen to invest in projects that are intended to be established in the Arab cities and industrial zones especially in the joint Arab projects that serve the Arab economyas a whole. 

It is worth mentioning that the Federation of Arab Cities and Industrial Zones is an Arab organization that is affiliated with the Council of Arab Economic Unity. Established in 2009, the Federation is concerned with the affairs of industrialists, investors, traders, services and workers, in addition to all the entities operating in the Arab cities, towns and industrial zones.