Syria conference: Sajid Javid to lead UK Business Task Force
Business Secretary to lead UK Business Task Force to increase British and international business activity in the Middle East.
Business Secretary Sajid Javid will chair a task force bringing together leading British businesses to increase British and international business activity in the region and generate hundreds of thousands of job opportunities – for Syrian refugees and for the communities hosting them in the Middle East.
Working with other governments in the region, the taskforce will focus on how to create the right conditions for the private sector in the Middle East to thrive and to encourage growth. Stronger economies and growth will create jobs and opportunities for those displaced in the region due to conflict. The UK government will also provide greater access to the European market for Middle Eastern businesses.
Business Secretary Sajid Javid said:
Having recently taken a business delegation to Jordan to explore what opportunities and investments they could share with the country, I know the benefits the private sector can bring in.
I will be inviting members of the business community to join me in working out the best route to prosperity for the entire region and setting an economic course to prosperity.
The taskforce will be looking at areas such as advising the regional governments on business environment, workforce and sector-specific issues which will help encourage investment and create new jobs.
The Business Secretary will be inviting UK and international businesses, from across a range of sectors, that have demonstrated an interest in investing in future business opportunities in the region. Membership will be flexible to ensure a broad range of company expertise that remains relevant and adaptable to emerging business opportunities.
Graham Cartledge CBE, Chairman of Benoy, said
Benoy is excited to hear about the creation of the Business Task Force, launched today (4 February 2016) by Sajid Javid, Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, and believes that by strengthening commercial connections, UK businesses will be able to make an important and valuable contribution to the long-term, economic security of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan and the surrounding region.
Jordan’s 2025 Vision, a 10-year blueprint for trade and social development, will undoubtedly necessitate a programme of urban infrastructure improvements. This will be an undertaking of considerable measure, but as architects and master-planners, Benoy is dedicated to designing on a human scale and creating a sense of belonging. We believe that this notion is vital to establishing successful and sustainable communities. We are honoured to be able to play our part in the Jordan Relaunched campaign.
Philip Bouverat, Director, JCB said
JCB was delighted to be asked to travel to Amman with Sajid Javid in January alongside a small group of senior representatives of UK infrastructure specialists. The group met the Minister of Planning and the Prime Minister to discuss how UK companies could support the Business Task Force initiative.
The companies are all keen to mobilise and assist the Jordanian government with their rapid Infrastructure demands.