ATHENS The First International Islamic Trade Exhibition will be held in the Saudi port city of Jedda next year.
The important Islamic economic event will take place from March 18-23, 2001, and is organized by the Islamic Development Bank (IDB) in cooperation with Jedda's Chamber of Commerce.
Arab daily Asharq al-Awsat Wednesday quoted IDB Chairman, Ahmed Mohammad Ali, saying that the trade fair is aimed at boosting trade and commercial exchanges among Muslim countries.
The volume of trade among Islamic countries forms a mere 10 percent which does not correspond with available possibilities nor with the hopes and aspirations of the Muslim peoples, said the IDB chief.
He pointed to the decisions taken by the eight Islamic summits in Tehran to raise the percentage of trade among Islamic countries.
Ali said the IDB seeks to increase trade exchanges among Muslim countries to 30 percent with the aim of establishing an Islamic common market.
One of the main hurdles hindering trade exchanges among Muslim countries is the lack of enough information, noted Ali.
The Islamic world's top banker added that the Jedda fair will offer a big opportunity to Muslim countries to exchange information linked with economics and commerce.
(IRNA)