LOC22:38
19:38 GMT
(With photos) TUNIS, Nov 15 (KUNA) -- Tunisian Prime Minister Mohamed Ghannoushi said here Saturday his country was looking forward to a planned Arab economic summit in Kuwait in January 2009 as a springboard for Arab economic integration.
Such a goal can be notched up through an effective mechanism for buttressing pan-Arab trade initiatives, stimulating investment in Arab countries and sharing experience, he told a meeting held on the sidelines of the 2nd Tunisian Economic Forum.
He stressed the importance of attaching more attention to water, road, power grid and infrastructure projects.
The reinforcement of Arab economic constituents and capabilities contributes to boosting ability to dealing with the outside world, he added.
The Tunisian premier urged Gulf development funds and Islamic Development Bank to bolster and strengthen economic, trade and investment integration and partnership among Arab countries.
Ghannoushi proposed the creation of an Arab fund to be bankrolled by those Arab countries which enjoy adequate cash liquidity. The fund will be used in the financing of feasible and lucrative development projects.
In this context, he hailed the key role by the Arab Fund for Economic and Social Development (AFESD) and its chairman in the development march in Tunisia and other Arab and Muslim nations.
He also called on Arab investors to learn lessons from the global financial turmoil and to run more investments in the Arab region.
This crisis has proved undoubtedly that direct investment is more important, better and securer than investment in portfolios, the Tunisian premier argued.
Bit, a congenial atmosphere and necessary guarantees should be provided for such investments, he requested.
He commended the successful economic integration experiments of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and Arab Maghreb member countries as examples to follow. (end) nm.mt KUNA 152238 Nov 08NNNN