UAE Ambassador to Germany ensures Dubai 2003 delegation to Berlin major success

The Ambassador and his staff were instrumental in helping to set up a number of high level meetings for Dubai 2003 General Coordinator Mr. Ibrahim Belselah with senior German Government and banking officials during his five-day visit to Berlin.

Dubai 2003 also participated with Dubai Tourism and Commerce Marketing at the world's leading tourism event - the ITB in Berlin including the positioning of a giant promotional poster for the event at the entrance to the exhibition.

Speaking about the success of the visit Mr. Mohammed Al Zarouni said: "We were delighted to help the Dubai 2003 delegation and host a press conference and reception with them here in Berlin. The 58th Annual Meetings of the Boards of Governors of the World Bank Group and International Monetary Fund represent a superb opportunity to promote the UAE and its economic and investment prospects to the whole world.

"Meanwhile for Germany the UAE remains one of its most important trading markets in the Arab World - third in volume to Saudi Arabia and Egypt. Visitor numbers from Germany to the UAE have leapt from under 20,000 in 1991 to nearly 200,000 in 2002 as more and more appreciate the world-class facilities and attractions our country has to offer.

During the visit Dubai 2003 General Coordinator Mr. Ibrahim Belselah met representatives of the German Federal Ministry of Finance and Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the President of the Berlin Office of the German Central Bank, the Deutsche Bundesbank and a number of other leading German banking institutions.

Mr. Belselah was able to give updates on the progress of the preparations for the first ever hosting of the Annual Meetings by an Arab City, as the countdown for the event is now less than 200 days. He also made a presentation to the 5th German Arab-Tourism Forum that was held in Berlin.

The Annual Meetings of the Boards of Governors of the World Bank Group and International Monetary Fund were first held in Washington DC in 1946. They are hosted by an international city one year in three. Dubai and the UAE were selected because of its highly developed transportation and logistics infrastructure, growing importance as a financial hub and its established position as an oasis of opportunity.

ENDS