The 18th Arab International Cement Conference and Exhibition was held at the King Hussein Bin Talal Convention Centre, Dead Sea, Jordan, over 11-13 November 2013. Senior representatives from across the Arab cement sector convened under the patronage of Dr Hatem Al-Halawani, Minister of Industry, Trade & Supply, government of Jordan, for the three-day conference and exhibition.
The Dead Sea is located at an elevation of some 400m below sea level, making it the lowest land point on earth. Nevertheless, for the 630 delegates who travelled there for the annual conference, organised by the Arab Union for Cement and Building Materials (AUCBM), the mood was surprisingly buoyant. Indeed, in spite of the significant challenges currently facing parts of the Arab region, not least the continuing instability in Egypt and conflict in Syria, other countries, such as Saudi Arabia, are enjoying something of a boom.
