Page 42 - MOET ENGLISH PR REPORT - OCTOBER 2025 (Part 1)

Press Release

integration across various sectors. This meeting also forms part of the MENA-OECD
Competitiveness Programme. The BAB contributes to shaping a better business environment,
empowering competitiveness policies and building more efficient, resilient and transparent
economic models across the MENA region.”

Marta Blanco, President of the International Relations Committee of the Spanish
Confederation of Business Organisation (CEOE) and BAB Co-Chair, said: “The meeting
provides a valuable opportunity to strengthen economic cooperation between MENA countries and
the OECD. It also reinforces the private sector's role as a key partner in crafting policies that support
sustainable growth through dialogue between governments and business communities, exploring
shared priorities and designing practical initiatives aligned with global transformations in
innovation, trade, and investment.”

Discussion sessions with extensive global and regional participation

The meeting featured six panel sessions with extensive participation from the Ministry of Economy
and Tourism, the OECD, and specialised experts in the fields of economy, entrepreneurship,
agriculture, technology, innovation and logistics.

The first panel, “Connecting Physical and Digital Infrastructures”, discussed the significance
of interconnected infrastructure networks in enhancing regional economic integration, including
transport, energy and digital connectivity, and their pivotal role in lowering trade costs, improving
logistics performance and supporting knowledge exchange. It further highlighted the position of
the UAE and Saudi Arabia as global logistics and investment hubs.

The second panel, titled “Connecting Markets: Trade, Investment and Regulatory
Convergence”, highlighted how infrastructure can be transformed into a competitive edge. This
requires linking markets across borders, including attracting investment into local value chains,
reducing barriers in trade and customs, and harmonising regulations that create conditions for free
zones and logistics to drive economic growth.
The third panel, “Connecting People and Ideas: Cross Border Innovation Ecosystems”,
focused on the role of governments in reducing barriers to mobility and fostering regional
innovation platforms that contribute to building dynamic innovation ecosystems that generate new
jobs and support sustainable growth. This can be achieved through effective partnerships with
universities and business incubators, research and business collaboration, R&D investment and
innovation activities.

The fourth panel, “Sustainable Tourism: Developing High-Value Strategies for
Diversification”, explored the opportunities in the tourism sector that can contribute to the growth
and diversification of regional and global economies, creating innovative sustainable models and
strategic public–private tourism partnerships. It focused on investment in digitalisation and skills
development to strengthen tourism’s contribution to sustainable economic development.

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