Business & Money | Monday 5 January, 2015 12:30 pm |

The Minister of Transport and Communications in Oman will host the GCC Rail and Metro Conference 2015, which will be held under the auspices ofHis Highness Sayyid Shihab Bin Tariq Al Said, Advisor of His Majesty the Sultan, from-12 January 2015 at the Al Bustan Palace Muscat, Oman. The Event will host over 500 representatives from 25 countries.

The GCC Rail and Metro Conference 2015 will be headlined by high-ranking government officials from the GCC States’ Ministries of Transport, Trade and Commerce, and Finance, alongside top executives from Etihad Rail, Saudi Railways Organization, Saudi Railway Company, Qatar Rail, and Oman Rail. They will share their progress on project’s development and localization initiatives as well as participation in dynamic panel discussions to address key issues, challenges and opportunities enabling effective private sector participation.

Panel discussions at the event will be moderated by the multi-awarded journalist and best-selling author, Tim Sebastian, Founder and Chairman of The Doha Debates.

Speakers line-up includes His Excellency Dr. Abdul Latif bin Rashid Al Zayani Secretary General of the Gulf Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf; His Excellency Dr. Ahmed Mohammed Salem Al Futaisi Minister of Transport & Communications, Sultanate of Oman; His Excellency Eng. Maryam Jumaan, Undersecretary for Land Transport, Ministry of Transport, Kingdom of Bahrain, H.E. Eng. Mohamed Khaled Al Suwaiket, General President, Saudi Railways Organisation (SRO), H.E. Abdulrahim Hasan Naqi, Secretary General, Federation of GCC Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FGCC Chambers), Dr. Ramiz al Assar, Resident World Bank Advisor, Gulf Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf, Dr. Rumaih Al-Rumaih, CEO, Saudi Railway Company (SAR), Eng. Faris Saif Al Mazrouei, Acting CEO, Etihad Rail; Eng. Saad Ahmed Al Muhannadi, CEO, Qatar Rail; Eng. Abdulrahman Bin Salim Al Hatmi, CEO, Oman Rail; Mr. Nigel Ash, Managing director, Network Rail Consulting; Mr. Omran Abdulkarem, Senior Account Executive, Transnet Engineering; Mr. Ed James, Director of Analysis, MEED projects and Mr. Philippe Citroen, Director General, UNIFE

“Our challenge will not just be in how to ensure the success of executing these projects from a technical and operational point of view but on how to exploit the socio-economic potential of these massive investments so to ensure the multiplier effect into our economies", says His Excellency Dr. Ahmed Bin Mohammed Bin Salim Al Futaisi.

“We have, therefore, taken it as a key development drive of the projects to build manufacturing industry, transfer of technology, rail services and human capital development".

“Our aim is to circulate as much of the investments as possible within the Member States,” he adds.

The GCC Railway project is one of the most ambitious and challenging megaprojects in the world today. The investments projected by the GCC countries are estimated at more than US $ 200 Billion over the next 10 years with more than US $ 15.4 Billion investment in the GCC rail line to link the member states with an estimated length totaling 2200 km.

The project will further strengthen GCC economies by fostering trade and bolstering social integration amongst GCC Member States through improved understanding of localization practices for sustainable growth and development.