Arab League announces First Arab Consumer and Brand Protection Forum on October 19 -21 in Jeddah, KSA.

Amr Moussa underlines importance of Forum in raising Arab consumer awareness on dangers of counterfeit products

Arab League Secretary General Amr Moussa announced here that the First Arab Consumer and Brand Protection Forum (www.arabworldprotect.com) will be held October 19 -21, in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, under the patronage His Royal Highness, Prince Khalid Al Faisal, the Governor of Makkah region.The Forum is being organized by the Arab League and the Islamic Chamber of Commerce and Industry in association with Hemaya Universal, a private sector organization pioneering brand protection and anti-counterfeiting operations in the Arab World. Moussa made the announcement at a press conference held at Arab League headquarter in Cairo.The Secretary General said the Forum will propose recommendations to protect consumers in the Arab World and Arab economies from the ill effects of piracy and counterfeiting. Dr. Mohammed Bin Ibrahim Al-Tuwaijri, Assistant Secretary General of the Arab League for Economic Affairs, issued a call at the press conference for the Arab World private sector to participate in the Forum. The Forum has the support of international institutions in the forefront of the anti-piracy cause, including the World Customs Organization and World Intellectual Property Organization.In the run-up to the Forum, the Arab League is holding preliminary meetings to bring together all parties concerned in the fight against piracy and counterfeiting in the Arab region, "These meetings will focus on joint examination of the key issues to be addressed at the Forum and determination of the best possible solutions thereof" Al-Tuwaijri saidSheikh Saleh Kamel, president of the Islamic Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI), tod newspersons that the recommendations emerging from the Forum would lead to intensified efforts to prevent piracy and counterfeiting from draining the economies of Arab and Islamic countries.Ahmad Al Hamdan, Chairman of Hemaya Universal, said at the press conference that with the Arab League and ICCI at the forefront, the Forum would break new ground. "The overwhelming support we found from the organizers had the greatest impact in enabling us to take steps to ensure holding of the Forum at the highest level and achieving the hopes to be built on it," Al Hamdan said.The forum is the first of its kind in the region, he said. Included among its activities are seminars and lectures aimed at raising consumer awareness in Arab and Islamic countries on the hazards resulting from counterfeit goods.The Forum also aims to support promulgation of new laws for consumer protection and defeat of counterfeiting in Arab and Islamic countries. Specifically, the Forum will look into the problem of piracy in some markets and will identify and support available capacities for effective counter measures through collaboration with governments, international organizations and local communities.Discussions at the Forum will highlight international best practices in raising consumer awareness, building capacities and taking effective actions. Brand owners will present their successful experiences in decision-making and implementation. Involving specialists from consumer protection agencies, intellectual property rights protection groups and anti-counterfeiting institutions in the Arab world, the Forum will come up with recommendations and pave the way for action on the ground in Arab and Islamic countries.

[c] 2008 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)