Audi A8 The only official car for VIP delegates in September

The first shipment of cars is expected to dock in Dubai at Port Rashid later this week and an exclusive training programme for the specially recruited drivers will commence a few days later.

Dubai 2003 General Coordinator Mr. Ibrahim Belselah formally signed the partnership agreement with the Chairman of Audi AG, Dr. Martin Winterkorn at the Paris Motor Show in September 2002.

"We are very fortunate to have such a world class partner in Audi who are supplying 250 brand new A8 limousines to ensure that our VIP participants at the Annual Meetings have quality transportation," explained Mr. Belselah.

From mid September the new Audi A8 will become a regular fixture on the roads of Dubai as they transport VIPs from hotels to the Dubai International Convention Centre and other venues in the city.

Audi was also the official partner for the chauffeur service when the Annual Meetings were last held outside Washington DC in Prague three years ago.

Mr. Ali Bilaloglu, Managing Director of Audi's Representative Office in Dubai, said: "Audi is tremendously proud to be a partner for Dubai 2003 and have our new model A8 used as the official exclusive limousine for this event that will put the eyes of the world on the UAE for two weeks in September."

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