First Businessmen and Businesswomen Forum: Mapping out Future Vision to Cope with Reconstruction Phase

 Damascus, (ST) – The participants in the First Businessmen and Businesswomen Forum discussed here on Friday the reality of the investment environment in terms of the legislative aspects and the requirements of their development in keeping with the entitlements to enter the reconstruction process and the mechanisms of partnerships between the public and private sectors through the partnership law in addition to a presentation of the experiences of some companies in the field of investment and services.The event was organized by the Orfali Consulting and Training Group at the Sheraton Hotel in Damascus.

  The Minister of State for Investment and Vital Projects, Eng. Wafika Hosni confirmed the importance of meeting the economic employers to exchange views and experiences and discuss the investment environment, which requires reconsideration of many of the legislation governing it and submit proposals to benefit from them during the work of the competent committees that are currently studying these legislations and future visions will accompany the next stage of reconstruction.

 For his part, the Head of the Planning and International Cooperation, Dr. Imad Sabouni said that the law of partnership is different from the investment law, which is a legislation in support of private investment, considering that the issue of partnership with the private sector are within the specific determinants governed by projects that need to participate, especially with regard to infrastructure with expansion in the types of services and public facilities and the need for the contribution of the private sector in this area.

 The head of the Orfali Group pointed to the importance of creating a business environment that opens new horizons for business men and women and supports the pioneering efforts, projects and exchange of information and opportunities for the participants, stressing that the main objective of the forum is to benefit from experiences and exchange of experiences among participants, in addition to developing pioneering ideas that will benefit the national economy, developing industries and seeking opportunities for new partnerships.

 For her part, Asia Thabet Al Hussein, the second deputy chairman of the Iraqi-Syrian Joint Chamber of Commerce and Industry, called for activating the joint economic relations between the two countries and reviving the holding of joint conferences and exhibitions, especially in the field of investment and opening markets for Syrian and Iraqi products and exports, pointing to the importance of the forum in introducing economic and investment legislations in Syria and to benefits granted to investors.

 The forum was attended by businessmen and businesswomen representing dozens of Syrian and Arab companies specialized in different sectors.

Sh. Kh.