Around 250 businesswomen have confirmed their participation in the special ladies-only sessions on the opening day of the Fourth Jeddah Economic Forum that begins January 18 under the patronage of Governor of Makkah Province Prince Abdulmajeed bin Abdulaziz. Chairman Amr Dabbagh of the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry (JCCI) said yesterday that some 900 businesswomen are registered with his organization. Princess Sarah Al-Anqari, wife of Prince Abdulmajeed, will attend this inaugural session, with South Africa's first lady Zinele Mbeki delivering the keynote address.

The three-day forum has the theme: 'Global competitiveness: thinking globally, acting locally'; and will discuss the role of free trade zones and the future of family companies. The 2003 forum will also see the official launch of the Prince Abdulmajeed award for excellence that will annually recognize companies and personalities from the private sector.

Addressing the Forum will be Jordan's Prime Minister Ali Abu Al-Ragheb; former Russian Prime Minister Yevgeny Primakov; Malaysia's Minister of Foreign Affairs Syed Hamid Syed Jaffar Albar; and British Minister of International Trade and Investment Baroness Symons. Speakers and panelists will include Minister of Finance and National Economy Dr. Ibrahim Al-Assaf; Minister of Industry and Electricity Dr. Hashim Yamani; Bangladeshi Minister of Commerce Amir K.M. Chowdhury; Jordanian Planning Minister Dr. Bassem Awadallah; Jordanian Minister of Communications Dr. Fawaz Al Zu'bi; Bahraini Monetary Agency Governor Ahmed ibn Mohammed Al Khalifa; and Saudi Arabian Monetary Agency Deputy Governor Dr. Mohammed Al-Jasser. It is expected that the forum will be attended by hundreds of leading businessmen and women, government officials and academics, with delegations from Bangladesh, Jordan, Lebanon, Malaysia, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States.

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