GOIC Releases GCC Industrial Cooperation Journal Issue No. 104

Doha, April 17 (QNA) - The Doha-based Gulf Organization for Industrial Consulting (GOIC) has released the latest issue of the "Industrial Cooperation in the Arabian Gulf" journal, featuring a dossier on food security in GCC countries as one of the most crucial and pressing economic challenges that countries around the world strive to face in order to guarantee food security and financial and economic sufficiency. This dossier shed light upon the situation in different GCC countries and their efforts aiming at achieving food security, which saw the six states spend nearly $17 billion in 2012. The conclusion of this issue stressed the importance of elaborating various joint strategies and solutions through development programs and plans. These plans would benefit from pioneer attempts in a number of Gulf States. Such successful approaches are to be spread in order to help other countries limit negative repercussions, GOIC said in a press release issued on Wednesday. In his memo that was published in this issue of the Journal under the title of "GOIC programs support industrial projects through promising opportunities and statistics, and help qualifying their cadres," GOIC Secretary General Mr. Abdulaziz bin Hamad Al-Ageel said: "GOIC follows up on investment opportunities since their very birth as achievable ideas. In fact, statistical data allow forecasting the future of these industries, from their very foundation as promising projects to the qualification and training of their human cadres, in order for these projects to accomplish their objectives with our full support," adding: "All these efforts help boosting Gulf manufacturing sector and promoting economic development in regional countries. These have been the objectives of GOIC all the way." The issue also featured an article on industrial cities, arguing that GCC states were interested in urbanization more than economy and manufacturing. ". This particular attention to urbanization did not correspond with economic and industrial diversification and professional labor qualification," the article read. The new issue also argued that several advanced industries can be established in the Gulf. "The private sector should take the initiative of kick-starting such industries and drawing investments. One of the most important measures to be taken is establishing high-technology industries that encompass information and communication technology, bio-engineering techniques and industries, renewable energy, environmental and pharmaceutical industries and chemical industries." In addition to that, the new issue highlighted GOIC's achievements in terms of rationalizing energy consumption and reducing carbon dioxide emissions through the Industrial Technical Assistance Program (ITA). In this context, GOIC had recently published "The energy guide for industries in GCC countries at the service of industrial facilities". In this guide, GOIC illustrated its accomplishments throughout the last five years; it contributed in reducing carbon dioxide emissions in the metals sector by an average of 744 tons and in the packaging and labeling sector by about 709 tons. Moreover, the Journal featured several economic articles such as: "The role of SMEs in a changing global economy," "GCC countries industrial competitiveness," "Worldwide loss of faith in credit rating agencies" and "Analysis of Gulf economy's features." GOIC is a regional organization that brings together the United Arab Emirates, the Kingdom of Bahrain, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the Sultanate of Oman, the State of Qatar, the State of Kuwait and the Republic of Yemen. It is based in Doha, Capital City of Qatar. It is an advisory knowledge-based institution aiming at developing regional industries by providing data, information, specialized researches, consultations and technical services for the public and private sectors in GCC countries. This organization is the top industrial consultations expertise hub boosting industrial development in GCC countries and Yemen. It seeks industrial integration and coordination between Member States and endeavors to shape a regional industrial policy. (QNA)