Your Excellency Mr. Ken Saito,
Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry of Japan,
Esteemed Ministers and heads of delegations,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
It is my pleasure to join you today for the opening of the first day of
the fifth session of the Arab-Japan Forum. This session is dedicated to
enhancing exchange and partnership between the Arab and Japanese public
and private sectors. Allow me to begin by extending my sincere
appreciation to the Japanese government for hosting this session, and in
particular, to the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, as well as
all our partners, for their excellent cooperation and hard work over the
past period.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
The League of Arab States has been, since its establishment, committed
to holding cooperation forums with key countries and major regional
blocs. It is only natural that cooperation with Japan would receive
special attention, given its esteemed status and advanced economy.
Arab-Japanese relations are consistently on the agenda of the councils
and bodies of the League of Arab States and garner significant Arab
attention. These strong and enduring relations are characterised by
transparency, mutual respect, and a commitment to promoting common
interests.
In the economic field, Arab-Japanese cooperation has demonstrated
remarkable resilience in facing the accumulated challenges brought about
by crises and tensions, despite their amount and complexity. The best
evidence of this is the increase in trade exchange between the two
sides, which has reached nearly $140 billion since the beginning of
2024.
Trade exchange has remained on the positive side during a period when
the world witnessed complex and dangerous crises such as COVID-19, the
Ukrainian war, tensions on the Korean Peninsula, and the
American-Chinese competition in Southeast Asia. Additionally, serious
crises have struck several Arab countries, resulting in profound
negative effects that continue to impact development, investment, and
global shipping traffic. The Arab region is a major crossing point for
global trade, with key passages like the Suez Canal, Bab Al-Mandab, and
the Strait of Hormuz. These crises have also affected the Arab energy
sector, significantly impacting global markets, given the region's role
as a major resource in this field.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Arab-Japanese economic relations are characterised by vitality and
diversity, thanks to the dedication of both sides to nurture them. I
highly appreciate the significant interest that the Japanese government
shows in enhancing cooperation with Arab countries across all sectors.
I commend Japan's active engagement, particularly in recent times, which
has included the Japanese Prime Minister's visits to several Arab
countries. These visits have led to the signing of numerous partnership
and cooperation agreements. Examples include the agreement with the
Government of Iraq to finance small and medium enterprises, agreements
with the Saudi Ministry of Investment, energy agreements with the United
Arab Emirates, a technical cooperation agreement to establish the
Japanese education system in Egypt, and cooperation in the field of
water with Jordan. Furthermore, Japan's financial support to the
Palestinian economy and UNRWA is invaluable. This support should be
expanded rather than restricted, contrary to the agenda promoted by the
occupying state.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Government cooperation, despite its importance, is not the sole
determinant of Arab-Japanese economic relations. The private sector
remains a crucial actor in enhancing trade exchange between the two
sides. Therefore, I call for strengthening the partnership between the
government and private sectors, as well as between companies from both
regions.
In this regard, I urge the Japanese government to continue encouraging
Japanese companies, especially small and medium-sized enterprises, to
expand their operations in the Arab region. Likewise, I call on Arab
companies to seize the opportunities presented by the Japanese market.
We all look forward to elevating our partnership to a strategic level
that aligns with the aspirations of our peoples and the economic
potential of both sides. There are numerous areas where we can achieve
significant progress, such as partnerships in education, energy
transformation, digital technology, health, artificial intelligence, and
more.
In this context, I believe this forum can play a pivotal role in
promoting partnership opportunities in these areas and advancing the
Arab-Japanese partnership in the coming period. I assure you of our
readiness to work with you to develop effective mechanisms.
In conclusion, I extend my appreciation one more time to everyone who
contributed to the successful preparation of this forum, and I wish
everyone success.
Thank you.
