Press conference to announce the Fourth general Conference of the Arab Union of Electricity

The conference and associated events are organized by the Arab Union of Electricity, the Arab League, and the Qatar General Electricity & Water Corporation 'KAHRAMAA', in cooperation with Interactive Business Network. It is considered an event of importance in view of the leading role of the Arab Union of Electricity in the Arab electricity sector, the level of official attendance at the conference, and the expected contribution of public sector enterprises and companies in its deliberations and the associated events.

The press conference was attended by a large number of representatives of sponsoring organizations and companies, in addition to members of the organizing committee and scientific committee of the conference, and Mr. Raed Chehaib, the Chief Executive Officer of Interactive Business Network.

Mr. Abdullah Anbar Al-Jassim, Public Relations and Communications Manager at KAHRAMAA, opened the press conference by welcoming all those present and stressing the important contribution of sponsors to the success of the conference, and the role expected of the media in spreading the message of the conference, its goals and its importance.

Mr. Raed Chehaib, the Chief Executive Officer of Interactive Business Network went over all work and preparations underway for the conference, pointing out that "this important all encompassing Arab event will be the major event to commence the conferencing agenda in the State of Qatar and the electricity sector in the Arab world, whether in view of the number of activities involved, from the conference itself, to the seminar, the specialized exhibition, the meeting of the Executive Council of Arab Electricity Minister, and the celebration of the silver jubilee of the Arab Union of Electricity, or in terms of the expected size and level of participation and attendance, or also the wide ranging interest in the event at the official level and among private sector enterprises, including contractors, industrialists and consultants, in addition to academic institutions and the media."

Mr. Chehaib concluded by thanking representatives present of all companies and organizations who have committed to sponsor the conference and its accompanying events so far, and called on all other potential sponsors to commit as soon as possible, reminding that the organizers are ready to consider all their needs and special requests. He also announced the launching, in cooperation with the co-organizers, of the special conference website which provides all the necessary information and news about the conference, as well as an online registration facility. He gave the website link as www.cauedoha2013.com and added that the conference registration fee is nominal compared with other regional conferences and a special fee is available for all university students in Qatar and the Arab world.

The press conference concluded with a key address by H.E. Engineer Essa Bin Hilal Al-Kuwari, the conference president and President of KAHRAMAA in which he commended "the fact that the three important Arab events will be held at the same time and in the same place, together with the celebration of the Silver Jubilee of the Arab Union of Electricity, and the meeting of the Executive Council of Arab Electricity Ministers and its General Authority, which in fact will launch all the events with the succession of the presidency of the Arab Union of Electricity to the State of Qatar".

In discussing the conference program, H.E. Eng. Al-Kuwari said that "the higher organizing committee made sure that the agenda of the conference include many general sessions that pose issues related to the subject and theme of the conference, and discuss the main challenges facing the electricity sector in the Arab world, specifically the following topics:

1. Restructuring the electricity sector in the Arab countries
2. Encouraging investment in the electricity sector through IPP (IPP)
3. Smart grids, distribution networks maintenance, demand side management, and energy conservation.
4. Loss reducing in electricity systems (generation, transmission, and distribution)
5. Renewable energy sources and how to connect them to the grid
6. Quality and service management in electricity distribution: Customer satisfaction, customer information system and performance indicators.
7. Nuclear power for electricity generation in the Arab countries: potential and projects.
8. Training to build new cadres in electricity sector."

Concerning the level of official attendance at the conference and associated events, H.E. Eng. Al-Kuwari highlighted that the higher organizing committee gave particular attention to hosting many policy makers, and personalities that have a leading role in the development of the electricity sector in the Arab world as keynote speakers at the conference and the seminar. in addition to the participation of 30 very high profile researchers and engineers from various Arab utilities and countries and global corporations to enrich the content of the conference and the seminar. And we are expecting a large participation for the leading Arab electrical industrial corporations in the 7th exhibition of electrical industries in the Arab world.

And in a clear indication of its growing importance, the conference has attracted sponsorships from a large number of leading institutions and companies operating in Qatar, the rest of the Gulf, and at the Arab and international levels. These include Kemco Group as a strategic local sponsor; Suweidi Electric Company, as a regional strategic sponsor; ITA Star International, as a platinum sponsor; National Contracting Company and Alstom, as gold sponsors; Anwar Al-Khaleej for Electrical Engineering, as silver sponsor, and each of Unicon Limited, Qatar Company for Electric Power and Contracting, Network for Electrical and Mechanical Contracting (NEMCCO), PS Tech, and Integrated Trading and Services Company, as bronze sponsors. Media sponsors are Euroasia Industry magazine, Oxford Business Group, Qatar Construction Sites and Alternative Energy Africa.

At the end of the press conference, H.E. Engineer Essa Bin Hilal Al-Kuwari, President of the conference, extended his thanks to HE Sheikh Hamad Bin Jassem Bin Jabr Al-Thani, Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Qatar, for his kind patronage of the conference, and to HE Dr. Mohamed Bin Saleh Al-Sada, Minister of Energy and Industry for his full support of all efforts to organize the conference and associated events and ensure their success. He also commended the major role that local and foreign media have played in spotlighting the electricity sector, which is indeed a major pillar of the Gulf and Arab economies.