World Bank President James Wolfensen praises organisers of Dubai 2003

Mr. Wolfensen, who has already made a number of fact finding visits to Dubai in advance of next year's event, met with Dubai 2003 Steering Committee Vice-Chairman, His Excellency Dr. Mohammed Khalfan bin Kharbash, UAE Minister of State for Finance and Dubai 2003 General Coordinator Mr Ibrahim Belselah and other senior delegation members at the Washington reception.

The World Bank President said that he and his colleagues had been very impressed with Dubai and the arrangements that were now underway to host the 58th Annual Meetings in September 2003.

Mr Wolfensen said he was delighted to renew his friendship with Dr Kharbash and receive a personal update on developments in Dubai ahead of next years Annual Meetings that will be the first hosted by an Arab City. He told Dr Kharbash and Mr Belselah that he was looking forward to a very good series of meetings in Dubai in 2003.

He was the Dubai 2003 guest of honour at the Programme of Seminar's Closing Reception held during the Washington meetings where over 400 international guests attended.

Dubai 2003 is taking a major presence in the World Bank building with its own promotional stand in the lobby of the World Bank building and will feature information both about the event and more general information about Dubai and the UAE. A range of promotional material will be available at the stand that has been organised with assistance from the North American offices of the Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing.

Members of the delegation are working from a total of 7 offices allocated to them in the World Bank headquarters to undertake meetings and administrative work during the visit to Washington.

The delegation to Washington has been meeting with their US counterparts to examine every aspect of the arrangements for a global event of this scale to ensure the success of Dubai 2003 when the eyes of the world will be focused on both Dubai and the United Arab Emirates as it becomes the effective financial capital of the world for 10 days in September 2003.

Already a newspaper publicity campaign has started in leading US newspapers and the delegation has started to arrange registration and accommodation arrangements for representatives from all over the world who will be attending next year's event.

The Annual Meetings of the Boards of Governors of the World Bank Group and International Monetary Fund began in Washington DC in 1946. They are hosted by an international city one year in three. Dubai and the UAE was selected because of its highly developed transportation and logistics infrastructure and growing importance as a financial hub and its established position as the Crossroads for the New Global Economy.

ENDS