Reuters hosts Arab bankers in their largest convention this year, in Dubai

The Interarab Cambist Association, which celebrates its 30th anniversary this year, represents 14 Arab countries.

Sponsored by Reuters, the premier global financial information and solutions provider and world-renowned news service provider, the ICA Congress will host leading think-tanks and policy-makers from the banking and financial industry in the Arab World, Europe, the Far East and the USA. The theme of the Congress is "One Future, One Economy" and the focus will be the GCC countries, where ICA expects a unified customs and tax regime in the foreseeable future and consequently a unified currency. ICA is also organising an exhibition for banks, to showcase related products and services for the financial world.

Nabil Al-Rahma, of the Congress Steering Committee and President of the Financial Markets Association in the UAE, said: "Choosing the UAE for the third time to host the ICA annual Congress demonstrates the pivotal role the country plays in the financial markets industry regionally and around the world. It comes as no surprise that the UAE, which is setting up a solid ambitious financial infrastructure in its Dubai International Financial Market, is hosting the Association's event this year."

Jean- Marc Paufique, Reuters' Senior Company Officer for the Middle East and North Africa, said: "Reuters is the natural partner for Arab bankers and treasurers. Our real-time information and technology offers unparalleled, holistic back to front solutions, allowing a seamless flow of banking operations at every level."

Reuters will showcase the latest version of its flagship product Reuters 3000 Xtra, which offers the full breadth and depth of financial information and sophisticated analytics and functionality for the financial markets. Additional enhancements were included in the latest version of Reuters 3000 Xtra. The new 3000 Xtra has a redesigned gateway interface and a new feature, Xtra Companion, which allows all time remote access.

Reuters Messaging, an outcome of a strategic collaboration with Microsoft, is also incorporated in Xtra to offer financial professionals the most complete messaging system in the Gulf. In addition to sending near real-time messages to other members of the global financial industry, Reuters Messaging will quickly and easily find the right contacts to do business with and swiftly distribute critical market knowledge, all within a fast and secure Internet technology-based environment.

The Global Press Watch is yet another new feature in the new Xtra - it consists of a searchable archive of two years' worth of data from over 500 sources.

Other Reuters' solutions that will be displayed at the exhibition are Kondor+, the industry's foremost risk management solution for banking and financial institutions and Reuters Trade Processing, an open and modular back office system that handles all processing and cash management requirements.

The two-day event, which is held under the auspices of His Highness Sheikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Bin Saeed Al-Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai and UAE Minister of Finance, is also sponsored by the UAE Central Bank. Governors of the UAE and Qatar Central banks, His Excellency Sultan Bin Nasser Al-Suwaidi and His Excellency Abdullah Bin Khalid Al-Attiyah, will give the keynote addresses at the inaugural session.

Dr Jassim Al-Mannai, Chairman of the Arab Monetary Fund, Paul Mercier of the European Central Bank and Werner Pauw and Eugene Prim of the ACI- Financial Markets Association and Anis Al-Jallaf, Chief Executive Officer of Emirates Bank International, will also address the event.