By Nawab Khan
BRUSSELS, Jan 13 (KUNA) -- Qaisar Hijazin, Secretary General of the Arab-Belgium-Luxembourg Chamber of Commerce (ABLCC), is welcoming the Arab Economic Summit, to be hosted by Kuwait on January 19-20, as an significant event to boost Arab economic cooperation.
"The summit will contribute in promoting economic cooperation among Arab countries. I know the Kuwaiti authorities make a very, very good preparation for that," Hijazin told KUNA in an interview here today.
He noted that it is for the first time that an economic summit for Arab countries is organised.
"The organisation of this summit in Kuwait is so important because we know the role of Kuwait in promoting economy in the Arab world," he stressed.
Created in 1978, Brussels-based ABLCC is a member of the General Union of Chambers of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture for Arab countries and has an essential role as a link between Belgium , Luxembourg and the Arab countries.
Hijazin said the objective of the Arab economic summit is also to boost the private sector. He recalled that he attended in Kuwait last November a preparatory meeting for the summit for the private sector.
Next weeks summit will show the Arab world that there is a lot of complimentarity between Arab countries in the economic aspect, he said.
Hijazin noted that inter-Arab trade exchanges were merely 10 percent in contrast with Arab trade exchanges with Europe which make up 60 percent.
"This means there is a big gap and there is lot to do to promote first of all trade relations among Arab countries. The potentiality is there , mainly in the Gulf area for investments as economic growth is coming from this area," he added. (end) nk.gta KUNA 132027 Jan 09NNNN