With the participation of 60 prominent local, regional, and international speakers and experts, the first edition of the Makkah Region Economic Forum, titled “From Vision to Achievement…Invest in Makkah,” under the patronage of His Royal Highness Prince Khalid Al-Faisal, Advisor to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques and Governor of the Makkah Region, and in the presence of His Royal Highness Prince Abdullah bin Bandar bin Abdulaziz, Deputy Governor of the Makkah Region and Chairman of the Forum’s Supervisory Committee, at The Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Jeddah, and will last for two days.
The forum, whose preparations were overseen by His Highness Prince Abdullah bin Bandar, will feature nine sessions aimed at increasing private-sector participation and attracting more foreign direct investment to boost GDP, The forum also seeks to strengthen the contribution of small and medium-sized enterprises to economic development and to showcase the investment opportunities and assets of the Makkah Region, especially as the Kingdom aspires to continue its path of development and transformation into a leading investment power, and to increase the private sector’s contribution to GDP from 40 % to 65 %, in line with the Kingdom’s Vision 2030.
In a new initiative, the forum will feature presentations on investment opportunities during side sessions between investors and representatives of government sectors. An online platform dedicated to the forum will be launched to showcase investment opportunities in the region. The forum will also feature meetings between the mayors of the Holy City and Jeddah and investors, during which projects will be presented to those interested in investing. Additionally, the forum will host two sessions titled “Dialogue with a Minister,” during which attendees will have the opportunity to discuss with the ministers the most prominent investment opportunities and mechanisms for private-sector participation in this area.
The forum’s activities are scheduled to continue throughout the year in the form of workshops, panel discussions, seminars, and dialogues featuring a select group of leading local, regional, and international experts on a variety of investment topics, foremost among which are increasing the level of private sector participation and contribution and attracting more foreign direct investment to boost GDP, including supporting small and medium-sized enterprises to increase their participation in this area, and moving from theory to practical implementation.
