Biotechnology is here to stay, Sharjah Tatweer Forum declares

To be held at the Medical Centre Hall, Sharjah University, on November 15, 2007, under the royal patronage of His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member, The Ruler of Sharjah, and Honorary Chairman of Sharjah Tatweer Forum, this event aims to raise awareness and inspire entrepreneurship in biotechnology-related industries.

The main speakers of the conference are HE Sheikha Lubna Bint Khalid Al Qasimi, Minister of Economy, renowned biotechnology expert Juan Enriquez, and Sheikh Tareq Bin Faisal Al Qasimi, Chairman of Emirates Investment Group.

It was Information Technology that drove the economic boom of the 1990s. With the advent of personal computers, business as we knew was totally transformed in less than a decade. The Internet again revolutionized the scenario. Now its time for biotechnology to do the same.

Building a knowledge based bio-economy for the region is one of the main concerns of all Middle Eastern nations. The biotechnology market in the Middle East is estimated to be worth AED 36.7 billion, and is growing at 15 - 18 per cent per year. The industry is attracting large amounts of private and public investment from all over the world. The UAE has already marked its presence in the global biotechnology map with Dubaiotech, the world's first free zone dedicated to biotechnology industry.

Biotechnology is about research, innovation and manufacturing. Whilst innovation can happen anywhere, the world today has a huge shortage of manufacturing capacity.

This is a unique opportunity for Sharjah where the advantages include financial resources, state-of-the-art infrastructure, supportive government machinery, fast-growing manufacturing sector and a strategic geographic location. Tatweer Forum aims to create the right environment that facilitates a smooth entry for biotechnology-related businesses in the emirate. Enlightening the business community, young entrepreneurs, and the next generation is the main task and this event will definitely be a curtain-raiser in that direction.

The Sharjah Tatweer Forum was formed as per a decree issued by H.H. Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Ruler of Sharjah and Member of the UAE Supreme Council.

Tatweer Forum's primary objectives are to develop the skills and competencies of National youth in Sharjah, build partnerships between the private and public sectors, encourage entrepreneurship, innovation and excellence in the business and administrative arenas and ensure the sustainable development and overall progress of the Emirate. The Forum's laudable initiatives include workshops held on the topics, "Micro financing of Small and Medium Enterprises", "World Trade Organization and Free Trade Agreement - Opportunities and Challenges from a Local Perspective", "The Importance of Innovation and Creativity in Business", and coordinated efforts for promoting partnerships between private and public organizations in Sharjah.

"Our initiatives to build up young talent and facilitate private-public partnerships through various programs have been productive and encourage us to speedup the efforts. Many projects and programs are underway that will add more value to the business culture in Sharjah. Moreover, while biotechnology makes remarkable advances globally and emerging as the new driving force in economy, we believe it's our commitment to bring the waves of change to the shores of Sharjah as well", envisions Hussain Al Mahmoudi, Chairman, Sharjah Tatweer Forum.

The biotechnology event includes an open discussion session with Mr. Juan Enriquez to be held at the Higher Colleges of Technology Auditorium in the University City, Sharjah at 11 am on 15 November 2007.