Business & Money | Tuesday 26 May, 2015 1:25 am |

The Gulf Organization for Industrial Consulting (GOIC) started a workshop entitled “The World Trade Organization (WTO) rules and their impact on the Gulf industrial sector” at GOIC’s headquarters in Doha on Monday, May 25, 2015. The workshop will continue until Thursday, May 28, 2015.

GOIC Secretary General Mr. Abdulaziz Bin Hamad Al-Ageel gave the opening speech in which he underlined GOIC’s relentless efforts to develop the industrial labour force’s skills in GCC countries. He explained that this workshop is part of GOIC’s Training and Capacity Development Program (TCD) and said: “One of the main objectives of this training is to introduce participants to major developments in the area of global trade and their repercussions on the Gulf economy.” Mr. Al-Ageel added: “Arab countries are seeking new exporting markets. However, these countries face a number of obligations set by virtue of their accession to the WTO. Thus, GOIC’s role is to raise awareness of the GCC industrial labour force and introduce them to WTO rules and their impact on the sectors of industries and services in GCC countries, in addition to their positive impact on global trade.”

The workshop included representatives of the private sector and specifications and standards institutions, in addition to parties concerned by WTO rules like the Industrial Development Department at Qatar’s Ministry of Energy and Industry, Oman’s Ministry of Commerce and Industry, KSA’s Ministry of Economy and Planning, the Saudi Export Development Authority (SEDA), Riyadh Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Abha Chamber of Commerce and Industry, UAE’s Higher Corporation for Specialized Economic Zones and a number of GOIC’s employees concerned by the workshop’s topic.

Participants discussed several topics such as WTO rules that have the biggest impact on the industrial sector throughout the phases of production, marketing, importing and exporting, the detailed rules of WTO agreements and how can government institutions, specifications and standards companies and private sector companies use these rules and mechanisms in the best interest of the sectors of industries and services.
Furthermore, the workshop shed light on available capacities in the context of the World Trade Organization relating to the development of the industrial sector and the adoption of export strategies. Participants got to know available mechanisms aiming at protecting various phases of industrial production in GCC countries and how to access market information and reach new markets.

The workshop was delivered by Dr. Hassan Abu Taher who has a wide expertise in economic policies, financial affairs, global trade and economic cooperation. Dr. Abu Taher has held ministerial, consular, advisory and administrative positions at the World Trade Organization. He was the chief adviser for WTO affairs to the Ministry of Economy and Commerce in the United Arab Emirates and the permanent representative of Morocco at the World Trade Organization and the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) in Geneva.

The Gulf Organization for Industrial Consulting (GOIC) continuously seeks to boost individual and organizational capacities within the industrial sector of GCC countries and Yemen through its training courses. You can easily register to attend any workshop by visiting the Organization’s website www.goic.org.qa or via Facebook or Twitter.