10TH JEDDAH ECONOMIC FORUM DATES CONFIRMED:

UNCLAS JEDDAH 000341 SENSITIVE SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR NEA/ARP; PLEASE PASS TO TREASURY, SECRETARY GEITHNER'S OFFICE; ABU DHABI TREASURY ATTACHE MATT EPSTEIN E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ECON KWBG PGOV PREL SA SOCI SUBJECT: 10TH JEDDAH ECONOMIC FORUM DATES CONFIRMED: FEBRUARY 13-16, 2010 REF: A. JEDDAH 0277 ¶B. JEDDAH 0114 ¶C. JEDDAH 0060 ¶D. JEDDAH 0050 ¶E. JEDDAH 0029 ¶1. (U) Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry (JCCI) confirmed at a September 6 Ramadan gathering that the 10th Jeddah Economic Forum (JEF) will indeed take place February 13-16, 2010. The topic will be the "Global Economy 2020." It was announced that the Saudi Arabian Government, the Governor of Mecca Region, and the Minister of Commerce have all approved the event. The President of the 2010 JEF will be Abdulaziz Othman bin Sager, chairman of the Dubai-based Gulf Research Center. The JEF is slated to unfold over three days, the first two (Feb 13-14) at the JCCI and the last day (Feb 15-16) at the new King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST),one hour north of Jeddah. Major newspapers in the KSA, including the Arab News, carried stories today on the re-scheduled JEF. ¶2. (SBU) The themes will include: the global financial architecture, financial regulation, energy trade and alternative energy sources, and the outlook in science, technology, health and education. Details are expected to be posted on a website. According to the organizers, the invited guests will be "less political" (i.e., "controversial) than at previous JEFs, with focus on more practical, nuts-and-bolts economic topics and working sessions. ¶3. (SBU) NOTE: Organizers are sending out invitations and materials through various consulates and have indicated that they are planning to invite US Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner as a speaker at the JEF, having been strongly impressed by his presentations during his July visit to Saudi Arabia. Post will monitor and pass along further details as received. QUINN