Staff Reporter
THE Gulf Organisation for Industrial Consulting (Goic), in co-operation with the Arab Industrial Development and Mining Organisation (AIDMO) and the Arab Science and Technology Foundation, will hold a conference on knowledge-based industries, from February 11-12, under the patronage of HH the Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani.
Secretary General of Goic, HE Ahmed Khalil al-Mutawa, explained that the conference would aim to introduce knowledge-based industries, establish practical perspectives for GCC access to the field, and prepare a map for those industries.
He pointed out that industry has developed in the GCC member states, as a result of initiatives to support non-oil industries, as well as the diversification of the industrial base of the countries’ economies.
He went on to explain how the development of these industries is important to reduce the dependence on products which prices constantly change: “Although GCC member states focus on producing high-value goods for the international community, they have not been able to develop their capabilities in the advanced fields of research and development or adopt new initiatives and access new markets.”
He added: “GCC industries have been characterised by their dependence on traditional technologies and have not used advanced technology, thus maintaining relatively low expenditure on research and development.”