JEDDAH, 17 January 2004 — The fifth Jeddah Economic Forum opens today in the city’s Hilton Hotel.
Focussing on economic and social challenges to growth in the Kingdom and the global economy, the annual three-day event looks set to draw record international participation, notably from the US.
More than 1,000 businessmen, businesswomen, politicians, officials and academics from the Kingdom and abroad are expected to attend the regional think tank.
Keynote speakers include former US President Bill Clinton, Queen Rania of Jordan, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri.
Former Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad is another keynote speaker as is former Mexican President Ernesto Zedillo.
Government ministers from Kazakhstan, Lebanon and Sweden will also address the Forum. So too will Samir Shakir Mahmood of the Iraqi Ruling Council; his contribution is expected to generate particular interest.
Business leaders include Ray Irani, the head of Occidental Petroleum. The Director General of the WTO, Supachai Panitchpakdi, will wind up the final session on Monday, Jan. 19. In a bold move, movie stars Chevy Chase and John Cusack have also been invited.
Monday’s address by Bill Clinton will be his second to a JEF; he last attended in 2002.
With so many delegates, and so many of them from the US, security is expected to be intense.
