“(Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques) King Abdullah's
patronage of the forum will engender greater awareness about the damage caused
by commercial fraud and counterfeiting,” said SFDA’s Executive Chairman Dr.
Mohammad bin Ahmad Alkanhal in a statement on Sunday.
Alkanhal said commercial fraud does not only cause damage to
the health and safety of consumers but also to the Kingdom's economy. “This
forum is an important platform for all relevant authorities in the subject of
commercial fraud, whether at the level of the executive bodies in the public
sector and its related entities in the private sector and regional and
international bodies, or at the level of studies and academic research,"
he said.
He also emphasized that the conference represents a good
opportunity to review successful experiences and working papers, adding that
the accompanying workshops will contribute effectively to shed more light on
the problem of commercial fraud and counterfeiting.
"The forum will focus on the best practices and success
stories from around the world regarding effective means to inform, build
capacity and take effective action to mitigate the damages of counterfeiting
and piracy," he said.
The forum will also include working papers on "fraud in
some of the goods monitored by the SFDA."
The key sectors to be represented in the forum include
electronics, electrical appliances, information and communication technology,
pharmaceuticals, auto parts, consumer products, luxury goods, cosmetics film,
multimedia, sporting goods, watches and personal accessories.
A series of workshops, road shows and training seminars will
be developed and carried out for awareness and capacity building in association
with key private and public sector leaders such as the chambers of commerce,
ministries, enforcement agencies, NGOs and the public at large.
Alkanhal also lauded the strategic partnership between the
Saudi Customs Authority (SCA) and SFDA, and the continuous collaboration and
coordination to achieve the goals of the Saudi leadership.
He also commended SCA’s efforts to protect the local market
from counterfeit goods and products that flood the country as a result of the
open markets and the Kingdom's accession to the World Trade Organization (WTO).
“This has resulted in a huge responsibility on the shoulders
of the Saudi Customs, being the body entrusted with ensuring the safety and
quality of imported goods and products through issuing decisions and
regulations to control the flow of these products," he said.
