12/11/1998
The First Arab Forum for Engineering Industries was held in Cairo on 12-14 November 1998, organized by the Chamber of Engineering Industries and the Ministry of Industry. Delegations from Arab countries participated in the forum that coincided with meetings of ministers from Arab industries. Dr. Nader Riad’s speech entitled „Towards Arab Integration of Engineering Industries” showed that there are many reasons and pillars for the Arab agreements that were held during the last few years. They are represented in the common Arab market agreement and bilateral agreements between Arab countries.(Available in Arabic – German in PDF)
In his speech to the forum, Riad emphasized that engineering industries are not limited to specific industries listed, but they expand to cover all fields of production. This is due to what they provide from indispensable technical and technological options that enable the Arab world to acquire current scientific and technological revolutions. Therefore, engineering industries are the gateway for Arab countries to use continuous new techniques, if we decide to play an effective and positive role in the management of the new global economy and in the achievement of interests for a better future for our next generations. Riad demanded the necessity of making engineering industries in all countries a model to be imitated by the Arab World to allow competition by integration of these special industries. This integration means keeping available Arab resources and avoiding loss and wastage, and we must hurry to implement the Arab Free Trade Area and Common Arab Markets, Dr. Nader said. Riad also demanded the necessity of applying unified policy to benefit from agreements of the World Trade Organization (WTO) and setting regulations required for integrating workforces requested for by engineering industries. Finally, Riad also asked for achieving full transparency for circulating information and data required for supporting engineering industries of the integration area.
