“The convening of this Forum is an embodiment of the true desire of the GCC States and the nations of the Southeastern Europe to enhance the distinguished relations that bind the two sides together, and to take these relations forward to greater horizons, in particular, at the economic level.

I take this opportunity to express my profound thanks to His Excellency Traian Băsescu, President of the friendly Republic of Romania, for his gracious patronage of this forum, which brings together the distinguished elite of the economic domain in the public as well as the private sectors belonging to the GCC States and the countries of Southeastern Europe.”

“Given today’s very challenging economic and geopolitical environments, it is very comforting to know that the spirit of unity and cooperation is alive and well in Romania and across Central and South-Eastern Europe.

I commend Romania’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Economy and Forum Invest, as well as the General Secretariat of the Gulf Cooperation Council and the Federation of GCC Chambers for teaming up in the organization of this event. “

„The organization of this Forum is a good opurtunity to find the mechanisms for developing economic relations between the Federation of the GCC Chambers of Commerce and South-Eastern Europe, as the Federation of the GCC Chambers of Commerce represents a major part of the Gulf community.”

“I am honored to have beeen, together with my colleague, Minister of Foreign Affairs Teodor Baconschi, the host of the highest reunion between the Gulf Cooperation Council member-states and Southeast Europe.
The Forum in Bucharest is a turning point in our development strategy, in the economic and commercial relations with the Gulf Cooperation Council member states."

"This Forum should be considered a first step meant to encourage us in joining efforts for the identification and valuation of the most profitable formulas and of the best investment opportunities in major sectors of interest.
As Minister of Development I appreciate the event as an instrument meeting our demand for turning some of the major common interest projects into reality."

"I am particularly delighted that the first economic forum between the GULF COOPERATION COUNCIL and SOUTHEAST EUROPE, an event of such importance, takes place in Bucharest and I am convinced that our meeting will become a turning point in promoting the two regions` common agenda."

"Seeing the excellent materials prepared for this Forum, the role of the National Bank of Romania is that of saying the potential Gulf investors that the growth fundamentals in Romania are stable and healthy."

"With joint efforts, Bucharest has all atributes to become Southeast Europe`s center stage for economic debates of strategical importance in the region.

The National Television Channel of Romania is honored to promote the economic forums that set Romania on the international agenda. "

„Among all Southeast European countries, Romania was chosen to host the first official visit of more than 100 of the most powerful GCC state ministers and businessmen in the region.

This is an honour and also a burden, requiring a great amount of focus and work from the Romanian side to turn this first approach into cash - be it in the energy, agriculture or infrastructure sector, or in all of them. We now have a chance to  write economic history. ”

The first GCC-ROMANIA-BUCHAREST Business Forum benefits from the High Patronage and the presence of H.E. Mr. Traian Basescu, President of Romania.

The Arab states of the Gulf region are a priority for Romania’s foreign policy, with the main goal being to increase Romania’s visibility in the region and to attract the interest of the local business community in the investment opportunities provided by Romania, President Traian Basescu said in Kuwait, where he attended the events that marked the 50th anniversary of Kuwait’s independence and the 20th anniversary of Kuwait’s liberation from Iraqi occupation.

During his visit, February 25-26, the Romanian head of state met Emir of Kuwait, sheik Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, reiterating Romania’s interest in the consolidation and further development of bilateral cooperation in fields of common interest, especially the economy, and underscoring the opportunities for cooperation in the fields of energy, industry, agriculture and tourism.

In the context, President Traian Basescu also announced the GULF COOPERATION COUNCIL - ROMANIA Business Forum on business opportunities in Central and South-Eastern Europe to take place in Bucharest, March 8-9, 2011. The initiative is part of Romania’s strategy to provide direct Romanian presence in the GCC member states and to attract investments from these countries.

Raghavan Seetharaman, Group Chief Executive Officer of Qatari Doha Bank expressed his interest to expand and strengthen the presence of the financial institution in Bucharest, depending on feasible projects to be developed together with Romanian counterparties. Bogdan Popovici, CEO of Forum Invest, had a recent meeting with the CEO of Doha Bank in Qatar, in the preamble of the first GULF COOPERATION COUNCIL - ROMANIA - BUCHAREST Business Forum, to take place March 8-10, 2011 at the Radisson Blu Hotel.

With a representative office opened in Bucharest, Doha Bank is the first Qatari financial institution present on the local market.

Hassad Food, Qatar’s Premier investor and developer in the agriculture & livestock sector, owned by Qatar’s sovereign wealth fund, is interested to develop an extensive agricultural partnership with Romania, with the cooperation of the local Ministry of Agriculture. The statement belongs to Nasser Mohammed Al Fuhaid Al Hajri, Chairman & Managing Director, of Hassad Food, who recently participated in a meeting lead by Bogdan Popovici, President, Forum Invest and H.E. Vasile Sofineti, Romanian Ambassador at Large for the Relations with the Arab Countries.