No Dubai visa restrictions for IMF-World Bank meeting

BERLIN - There are no plans to impose restrictions on the entry of "people wanting to express their views peacefully" to the UAE in September when Dubai hosts the Annual Meetings of the Boards Of Governors of the World Bank Group and the International Monetary Fund. Ibrahim Belselah, General Coordinator of the prestigious gathering, said in Berlin yesterday that authorities would not apply entry restrictions on foreign citizens during the event.

By A Correspondent

Published: Mon 10 Mar 2003, 12:11 PM

Last updated: Wed 1 Apr 2015, 10:51 PM

"In the UAE, we have regulations allowing the citizens of 33 countries to enter the country with no visa requirements. In addition to that, we have been coordinating with the immigration authorities to arrange for efficient visa processing" for other nationalities, Mr Belselah said in an interview.

Previous such meetings in the United States and Europe witnessed riots during protests staged by demonstrators. Officials said arrangements were being made to ensure security and safety.

Mr Belselah is in Berlin for meeting government officials as part of efforts to promote the event globally. Dubai 2003 officials are participating the International Tourism Exchange ITB 2003 in Berlin which opened on Friday. "There is a high-powered security committee that is taking care of the security during the event and the safety of the participants," said Mr Belselah.

He expects some 16,000 visitors to gather in Dubai for the 58th round of IMF-World Bank Annual Meetings. "It is the first time that the annual meetings will be hosted by an Arab city," he said. Among those attending will be heads of state, finance ministers and central bank chiefs, in addition to business and finance leaders. The event will also highlight the potential of the UAE and the region to attract foreign investment. Mr Belselah said the annual meetings would open up new trading and business opportunities between the UAE and Europe. He spoke to German political and business leaders at an event co-hosted with the UAE Ambassador to Germany, Ali Mohammed Al Zarouni, on Saturday.

"The UAE is becomg an increasingly important business hub for every kind of commercial activity from information technology to education, healthcare, aviation, media and now finance with the development of the Dubai International Finance Centre," he said. He said efforts were being made to create the Dubai International Financial Centre and this in turn would create a major global centre for the financial services industry, effectively making a bridge between the great financial centres of Europe like Frankfurt and London with those of Hong Kong, Tokyo and other centres in Asia.

Mr Belselah said Dubai was now an international hub for a market of approximately 1.6 billion people. The official told VIP guests and media representatives that the UAE's preparations to host the event were well advanced including the completion of the state-of-the art $210 million Dubai International Convention Centre where the Annual Meetings will take place.

The Annual Meetings were first held in Washington DC in 1946. They are hosted by an international city on year in three. The UAE represented by Dubai has been selected because of its highly developed transportation and logistics infrastructure, growing importance as a financial centre and its established position as an oasis of opportunity. Mr Belselah earlier was a guest speaker at the 5th German-Arab Tourism Forum 2003 where he explained the positive developments in the UAE and to attract more tourists.