The World Customs Organisation (WCO) has committed to support the first Arab Consumer and Brand Protection Forum 2008.

The event will be held in Jeddah on October 19 and 21, 2008.

WCO secretary general Michel Danet underlined the full support and endorsement for the first Arab initiative lead by the Arab League and praised the effort of the forum’s organisers to call on all stakeholders from private and public sectors to join forces to ensure effective implementation of strategies to combat counterfeiting and piracy in the Arab world.

Danet made these observations during the closing session of the fourth Global Congress held recently in Dubai.

Commercial fraud costs the region about $50 billion annually, accounting for approximately six per cent of the $780 billion lost worldwide every year, said Danet.

The forum is the brainchild of the Arab League, resulting from collaboration by its secretary general Amr Moussa, according to Arab League’s assistant secretary general for economic affairs Dr Mohammed bin Ibrahim Tuwaijri.

“Such synergy and partnership between the public and private sectors is critical in enabling this region to compete effectively in the international marketplace," Dr Tuwaijri said in his speech to the Congress.

Dr Tuwaijri described the forum as “a concrete and determined step towards promoting consumer welfare and protecting the Arab markets from the debilitating effects of commercial fraud.” – TradeArabia News Service