They do not tire of talking and writing about relations between the business circles of Russia and the countries of the Arab region. Today they go to a qualitatively different level. About what specific steps are being taken to strengthen bilateral relations at all levels, we decided to talk with a person who knows firsthand about them. We bring to your attention an interview with the Deputy Director of the Russian-Arab Business Council, the Director of the first Arab exhibition in Moscow "Arabia-EXPO" V. S. Lutsenko
- During the Russian-Emirate business forum, dedicated to the visit of the then President of the Russian Federation V.V. to Abu Dhabi in September 2007 Putin was voiced the idea of holding the first Arab exhibition in Moscow. What is the main goal of organizing this event in the Russian capital?
Indeed, at the meeting of Russian and Emirate business circles, dedicated to the visit of the President of Russia to the United Arab Emirates, the presentation of the first Arab exhibition in Moscow "Arabia-EXPO" took place, and, by the way, this was the first presentation of the exhibition in the region outside of Russia. Let me explain why we are conducting it. Today, relations between Russia and the Arab world have reached a new level, as evidenced by the recent visits of Russian President Vladimir Putin to Libya, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Qatar, Morocco, Algeria, Egypt and Palestine. Russian-Arab trade is growing: last year, for the first time, it exceeded $ 6 billion.
Russian tourists are developing holiday destinations in Egypt, Tunisia, Morocco, Oman, Jordan. Russians are active players in the real estate market in the United Arab Emirates. The companies of our country began to win tenders in the most promising markets of the region - in Saudi Arabia, Qatar and other countries of the Persian Gulf. At the same time, the Arabs would also like to be present on the Russian market, to increase their share in the structure of commodity circulation, which, alas, is not in their favor so far. As you know, an important place in the advertising strategy is exhibition activity. Hence this initiative, originally put forward in St. Petersburg during the Sixth Joint Session of the Russian-Arab Business Council in conjunction with the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Russia and the General Union of the Chambers of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture of the Arab Countries, is about holding an Arab Exhibition in Moscow on an ongoing basis .
- What development has this idea received so far?
During the year of work on this project, we carried out a huge amount of work: we held presentations of the exhibition in many countries of the region, worked out issues of participation in more than half of the Arab countries at the level of relevant ministries and interested private exhibition operators. To date, Qatar, Oman, Jordan, Palestine, Syria, Lebanon, the UAE, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Algeria and Tunisia have confirmed their participation in the event. In the near future, formalization of agent relations with Morocco and Kuwait is planned. Arabs are extremely interested in this event.
Many countries have taken as a basis the path of state financing of their national expositions. At the moment, active work with exhibitors is underway in the region through our agents, and a massive advertising campaign is underway. The exclusive agent of our exhibition in the UAE is Planetfire company, the exhibition manager is Mrs. Mona Dada, e-mail: [email protected]
- What products and technologies will be presented at this exhibition?
You know, our Arab friends have something to offer directly, bypassing intermediaries - from specific consumer goods and agricultural products to participating in large investment projects. Sections of the exhibition cover almost all areas of mutual interest, among which, of course, construction, real estate, development. These can be ready-made projects, specific proposals or projects that are aimed at finding investors, contractors and buyers, as well as reliable and promising partners for the implementation of joint plans. In this regard, we believe that the exhibition will to a large extent contribute to the establishment of lively contact between Arab producers and Russian consumers.
- Who are the potential visitors to the exhibition?
We have already begun a massive advertising campaign covering all areas of Russian business. First of all, I would like to say that the anniversary program of the Russian-Arab Business Council will be held as an exhibition business program, which will bring together at least several hundred entrepreneurs from all over Russia. Moreover, these will be those people who are interested in entering the Arab markets. The advertising campaign in Russia covers a number of television channels, FM radio stations, and print media.
By the way, we have formed a whole pool of information partners of the exhibition. The Arabia-EXPO Russian presentations are systematically held in the regions at leading regional and international business forums.
- You started talking about the business program. Tell us more about it.
Of course, any entrepreneur is interested in a business program, so we envisage the largest Russian-Arab Business Forum. All these events are dedicated to the fifth anniversary of the Russian-Arab Business Council. You can familiarize yourself with the program of the anniversary session of the Russian and Arab parts of the RADS, which will be held there - in the Crocus Expo exhibition center on the website of our council: www.rusarabbc. ru. The program of the session provides for holding a plenary meeting in a festive atmosphere, in which representatives of governments, relevant ministries and departments of Russia and the Arab world, Russian and Arab business circles, both actively working in each other's territory and seeking to find business partners, will take part. An invitation to participate in the Forum and the opening ceremony of the exhibition was sent to the Secretary General of the League of Arab States Amr Muse. Many Arab delegations will be headed at the level of heads of relevant ministries. The Forum is scheduled to be decorated on the same day to sign in a solemn ceremony an agreement on the establishment of the Russian-Palestinian Business Council, the agreement on the establishment of which was reached through the CCI of Russia. On the second day of the Forum, on June 23, its first constituent meeting will be held, as well as the meetings of the other 15 bilateral business councils operating within the framework of the RADS, including the Russian-Emirate. Its meeting has already been confirmed. So, on the first day of its work, all Russian participants in the Forum will have the opportunity to participate in round tables in certain areas of business, and on the second day, to communicate with their Arab partners “by country”.
- Please tell us about the activities of the Russian-Emirate Business Council.
How does it compare with the work of the Russian-Arab Business Council, which, as you said, celebrates its fifth anniversary this year. The Russian-Emirate Business Council was established in May 2006. Its co-chairs are Valery Okulov, General Director of Aeroflot-Russian Airlines OJSC, and Ahmed Belhasa, leading representative of the Emirate business, and the head of the Belhasa Group Emirate Group of Companies. During its existence, the Council held three meetings, during which a number of advanced cooperation initiatives were developed. The Russian and Emirate parts of the Council include entrepreneurs interested in bilateral cooperation. In order to join the Council, you need to go through a simple registration procedure with the coordinators of both parts.
I would like to note that REDS is one of 15 business councils that operate within the framework of our Russian-Arab Business Council, which was established in 2003 in accordance with the agreement "On Cooperation between the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Russian Federation and the General Union of Trade and Industrial and the agricultural chambers of the Arab countries. " Organizationally, the RADS consists of the Russian and Arab units, headed by co-chairs, each of which was established, respectively, by the RF CCI in Moscow and the TPPSAS General Union in Beirut. The Russian part includes representatives of the business circles of Russia, the Arab part - representatives of the chambers of commerce and business circles of the Arab countries. Over the five years of work, the Russian-Arab Business Council has contributed to a major breakthrough in Russian-Arab relations, which we see today, organized many events, and led to the establishment of important business contacts.
We invite you to celebrate with us these successes at our event!
