EU Member States representatives visit the 3rd International Rebuild Iraq Exhibition site at the ABDALI project

In official support for the upcoming show in May, the European Union Member States representatives in Amman paid a site visit yesterday to the International Exhibition Center location at the ABDALI Urban regeneration project, which will host the 3rd International Rebuild Iraq Exhibition from 8 - 11 May 2006.

Speaking on behalf of the Commercial and Economic Counselors and Attaches of the EU Member States, Dr. Kurt ALTMANN, the Commercial and Economic Counselor of Austria in Amman and whose country is holding the Presidency of the Council of the European Union for the first half of 2006, said "The EU is fully supporting this International event, and we are actively encouraging European companies to exhibit at the third edition of Rebuild Iraq, due to the positive impact it will have for all exhibiting parties in networking and introducing their services and products to each other. " Further adding, "After observing the progress of work on site, and the huge infrastructure being built to host the Expo next May, and based on the organizers' assurances, we are now more confident that the exhibition will be as successful as the preceding edition by all standards, and this may encourage more European companies to exhibit". ALTMANN added.

Fadi Kaddoura, Project Director of Rebuild Iraq exhibition, said that "This visit highlights the unanimous support received by the EU to support the 3rd International Rebuild Iraq Exhibition, which in turn plays an important factor in attracting an increased number of European companies interested in doing business in Iraq to exhibit. So far, the credibility of our Expo through its successful track record and now the full support of the EU, have resulted in a tremendous inflow of booking requests from all over the world and especially from the EU countries. Three new EU countries are holding their first ever full-scale participation at this year's Rebuild Iraq; France, Luxembourg, and The Netherlands. Indications lead us to believe that the 2006 event will be yet another success with a forecasted growth of 15 - 20% in the number of exhibitors".

"To date, the total number of European companies registered as of 20 February 2006, is 245 from Austria, UK, Belgium, Germany, France, Italy, Sweden, Cyprus, Greece, Luxembourg, Romania, Netherlands, Ireland, Norway, Switzerland, and Poland. This led us to expect a heavy inflow of bookings from all parts of the world between March and mid April, and our estimate is that the total number of exhibitors will exceed 1000 from over 50 countries, covering the full 35000 SQM indoor and outdoor exhibition space available at the International Exhibition Center ABDALI Urban regeneration project". Fadi Kaddoura added.