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Tehran Hosting Asia-Pacific Urban Confab
Compiled by Ghanbar Naderi
The 2nd Asia-Pacific Ministerial Conference on Housing and Urban Development (APMCHUD) will be held in Tehran under the auspices of the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development on May 12-14.
The event has been organized in collaboration with Iranian Inc. for Contemporary International Conferences and Fairs (IICIC) with the participation of Asia-Pacific ministers of housing and urban development, representatives from United Nations specialized agencies, UN Habitat, regional organizations, as well as governmental and non-governmental organizations.
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The regional conference will provide Iran a good opportunity to exchange views with participant delegations on the problems of urban development.
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According to IRNA, Turkish Minister of Public Works and Housing, Faruk Nafiz Ozak, heading a 15-member delegation, is expected to attend the regional meeting.
Ozak’s visit is taking place at the invitation of Iran’s Minister of Housing and Urban Development Mohammad Saeedikia. During his stay in Tehran, the Turkish minister will discuss issues of mutual interest with several Iranian officials, including his counterpart, on the sidelines of the confab.
The conference will also provide Iran a good opportunity to exchange views with other participating delegations on the problems of urban development.
The 1st Asia-Pacific ministerial conference on housing and urban development was held in New Delhi, India, on December 13-16, 2006.
Ministers of housing from 70 countries in the Asia-Pacific region gathered in the Indian capital at the region’s first high-level meeting to tackle housing problems.
Like its predecessor in New Delhi, the Tehran conference is also aimed at galvanizing government action and political commitment at the regional level to produce a new vision of what the region’s urban landscape will look like in the next 15 years. It is thus expected to capitalize on opportunities of rapid economic growth by engaging in creative dialogue to implement effective and sustainable urbanization policies.
Despite its economic growth and many dynamic economies in a rapidly urbanizing region, over two-thirds of the developing world’s population living in overcrowded conditions reside in Asia.
UN Habitat research shows that overcrowding and poor ventilation is directly related to the rates of illness, child mortality, crime and other anti-social behavior.
By 2020, Asia will be home to 12 of the world’s largest cities with populations of over 20 million. Despite impressive growth in China and India in the last decade, to cite two recent examples of UN Habitat research, neither country has been able to bridge the gap between rich and poor, whether in the countryside or in cities.
Ministers in Tehran will seek to develop a uniform mechanism for monitoring and reporting progress in the Asia-Pacific region on the Millennium Development Goals, especially on halving the number of people without access to clean water and sanitation by the year 2015.
The Tehran and New Delhi conferences follow closely in the footsteps of two similar regional conferences in Latin America (MINURVI) and in Africa (AMCHUD).
Some of the key outputs include a work program to discuss progress on socially inclusive housing and urban policies by learning from best practices, pro-poor policies and rights-based legislation.
Other key points include the development of a regional mechanism for monitoring progress on the Millennium Development Goals, fostering new partnerships to support the implementation of goals and the Habitat Agenda, and drawing up a global blueprint for equitable shelter and sustainable cities.
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Resolving Workers’ Housing Problems Crucial
Workers constitute 30 percent of the country’s population and resolving the problems of this stratum will have a major impact on the society.
At present, housing is the major challenge faced by workers. Experts contend that providing workers with residential units plays an important role in increasing productivity.
Labor and Social Affairs Ministry signed an agreement with the Housing and Urban Development Ministry last June to construct 100,000 residential units nationwide. It was the second plan implemented by the two ministries in this respect.
The first one, implemented prior to the Mehr Scheme, envisaged building houses for workers living in cities with a population of less than 50,000, the Persian daily ’Iran’ reported.
Labor Ministry officials announced that the first agreement was successfully implemented.
Mehr Scheme which is aimed at constructing housing units for the vulnerable strata, provides another opportunity for the government to solve the housing problem of workers.
The agreement signed between labor and housing ministries within the framework of Mehr Scheme underlined greater supervision of the sector.
Based on figures, more than 432,000 workers do not own a residential unit and the figure is increasing.
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$107m for Dayyer Oilfield
President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s special representative has allocated over $107 million through buyback funding for the development of Dayyer oilfield in Bushehr province.
According to Fars News Agency, conditions for exploration and development are based on Article 127 of the Constitution and comply with the framework of the Fourth Five-Year Economic Development Plan (2005-2010).
Also the Budget Law for March 2007-8 and the law on taking maximum advantage of domestic technical and engineering capacities in implementing industrial projects and creating a base for exporting services were also taken into consideration.
Dayyer block lies in the Persian Gulf, to the north and northwest of the South Pars oilfield. The South Pars field is a gas condensate field located in the Persian Gulf. It is the largest gas field in the world, shared by Iran and Qatar.
Field total reserves are estimated to be around 1,900 tcf (53.8 tcm) gas in place and 56 billion barrels of condensate in place.
With in place reserves equivalent to 400 billion barrels of oil, the field comprises the world’s biggest hydrocarbon accumulation.
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Privatization Back on Track
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Some 2.5 percent of the stocks of the shipping industry, 5 percent shares each of Isfahan Refinery and Telecommunications Company of Iran will be sold to the private sector through TSE on May 17, May 25 and June 11, respectively.
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In the last Iranian year (March 2007-8), the privatization drive mainly focused on the stocks of companies affiliated to Industries and Mines Ministry as well as subsidiaries of Industrial Development and Renovation Organization (IDRO) and Iranian Mines and Mining Industries Development and Renovation Organization (IMIDRO).
At the beginning of last year, the primary concern was also the transfer of shares of power plants, refineries, petrochemical companies, banks, insurance and telecommunication companies to the private sector, but since the go-ahead was not given, their stocks were not traded at the Tehran Stock Exchange (TSE).
However, the privatization drive has gained momentum in 2008-9. Recently, TSE approved the sales of stocks of Khuzestan Steel Company and Khorasan Steel Company as well as 5 percent of the shares of National Copper Company. However, the date for this has not yet been specified.
Head of Iranian Privatization Organization (IPO) Gholamreza Heidari Kord-Zanganeh told ISNA, “TSE’s move was aimed at ensuring a speedier implementation of Article 44. Moreover 5 percent of the stocks of Bank Mellat and Bank Saderat of Iran will be traded on June 18 and July 7, respectively.“
The privatization of banks is tied to the approval of their articles of association. Efforts are also underway to take into account budgetary and auditing considerations so that stocks can be traded in a timely manner.
On the transfer of ownership of other governmental corporations to the private sector, Kord-Zanganeh observed, “Some 2.5 percent of the stocks of the shipping industry, 5 percent shares each of Isfahan Refinery and Telecommunications Company of Iran will be sold to the private sector through TSE on May 17, May 25, and June 11, respectively.“
TSE has also approved the trading of Bank Tejarat and Tabriz Refinery shares.
Before trading its stocks, Bank Tejarat must be registered as a public joint stock company. Furthermore, Central Bank of Iran (CBI) must authorize the transfer of stocks and Bank Tejarat must make the commitment that it will initially offer 5 percent of its stocks for price evaluation and another 15 percent upon the approval of TSE.
Tabriz Refinery must also be registered as a public joint stock company before its stocks can be traded in the stock market.
Furthermore, contracts for transport of crude oil with the related pipeline company, purchasing crude oil with National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC) and sales of oil derivatives with National Iranian Oil Refining and Distribution Company must be concluded and made public.
Meanwhile, articles of association of 10 power plants to become public joint stock companies have been endorsed by the Guardians Council and the transfer of ownership of their assets will be completed this year. This could be a long process, which must be eased in cooperation with senior Energy Ministry officials.
All in all, privatization drive is back on track and this year positive developments are expected at the TSE.
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Petrochem Exports to China to Reach $1b
Managing Director of National Petrochemical Company Mohammad Hadi Rahbari said on Saturday that Iran’s petrochemical exports to China is expected to reach one billion dollars during the current year.
Rahbari, who is in China to attend the first seminar on ’Investment Opportunities in Iran’ in Shanghai, told IRNA that Iran’s petrochemical exports to China stood at $90 million n 1998 and the figure increased to $700 million in 2007. It is expected to touch one-billion-dollar mark this year.
However, export of petrochemical products to various countries was worth $5.5 billion last year and this figure is expected to rise to $5.5 billion, the official said in his address to the seminar.
He added that the share of petrochemical products in the country’s non-oil exports stands at 37 percent and the figure is expected to climb to 40 percent next year. Rahbari also announced that 12 petrochemical projects will become operational in Iran during the current year.
Iran-China cooperation not only protects the two sides’ interests but also benefits global economy, Rahbari noted.
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Weak Greenback Behind Oil Price Hike
An Oil Ministry official has said that weak US dollar, not demand or supply, is the main reason for oil price hikes.
“We must realize that it is not the price of crude oil that has increased rather it is the value of the dollar that has weakened,“ deputy director of international affairs at National Iranian Oil Company, Mohammad Ali Khatibi, told Presstv.
“Currently the prices of crude oil do not follow the supply-demand mechanism,“ the official noted.
He added that there is a direct link between the fall in the value of the dollar and the rise in the price of oil, noting that oil prices rose 8 percent in the first quarter of 2008 after the greenback fell as much the previous quarter. Khatibi made the remarks a day after US crude oil futures jumped to a record of above $126 a barrel.
The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries has also stated that speculation and weak US dollar are to blame for rising oil prices.
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Iron Beam Import Duties
Domestic prices of iron beam are continuing their upward trend and the government might lower import duties to keep them under check.
Indian Investment in Ilam
Ilam Industries and Mines Department says an Indian company will invest in the province’s oil and gas industries. It will also invest 20,000 billion rials on steel mills, cement factory, oil refinery and power plant.
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Pineapple Melon Harvested in Chabahar
For the first time in the country, pineapple melon was harvested from Bahokalat, Chabahar in the southeastern province of Sistan-Baluchestan, announced director general of Chabahar Agricultural Jihad Department.
The crop was planted in an area of 100 hectares, Dadrahman Bameri told Iran Daily’s Sadeq Dehqan. This variety of watermelon, which is commonly known as Crimson Sweet, used to be cultivated in European countries, he pointed out.
Last year, it was planted in an area of five hectares in Bahokalat on a trial basis, he added noting that drip irrigation method is used in cultivation.
“Pineapple melon is very juicy and useful for those suffering from kidney and liver disorders. It grows to a maximum weight of 17 kilograms,“ he said.
Iran-Afghan Rail Project Progressing
Groundwork for the third sector of the railroad linking Khaf in south Khorasan province to Herat in Afghanistan will be completed by March 2009 at a cost of $75 million, announced an executive of overseas’ projects of Road and Transport Ministry Javad Tavakoli.
He told Fars News Agency that the railroad, which extends 191 km, begins in the city of Khaf, South Khorasan province, adding that the 76-kilometer first and second phases of the railroad which run from Khaf to the Afghan border are under construction.
Executive operation of the third phase of project in Afghanistan has shown a physical progress of 45 percent.
Plan to Develop Anzali FTZ
Establishing free trade zones is an important strategy for achieving development goals, observed managing director of Anzali Free Trade Zone, Kamal Firouzabadi.
According to the Persian daily ’Iran’, he noted that infrastructures such as airports, ports and service institutions should be established in the zones, adding domestic and foreign investments are attracted on the basis of these capacities.
He said that Anzali Port, which has a long history, is located on the North-South corridor, adding it is near Caspian Sea ports with easy access to the Commonwealth of Independent States and the consumer market of the capital Tehran.
Firouzabadi added that 90 percent of the 3,200 hectares of land in Anzali Free Trade Zone belong to the public and private sectors, adding this is the main challenge facing decision-making entities of the region. “The problem would be resolved gradually,“ he noted.
Tehran to Host Marketing Seminar
A meeting on investment and marketing opportunities in Islamic states, with special focus on Iraq, will be held in Tehran on May 16.
Announcing this, secretary of the meeting noted that over 500 Iranian businessmen and commercial officials will take part in the event, reported IRNA.
Jahanbakhsh Shirazi said that the meeting will analyze the situation in Iraq as well as opportunities of the Iraqi market and the risks involved.
Officials from Trade Promotion Organization of Iran’s Chamber of Commerce, Industries and Mines, Iran-Iraq Chamber of Commerce, Transportation and Terminals Organization, Iranian Standards and Industrial Research Organization, insurance companies, Iraqi embassy, and Headquarters for Development and Renovation of Iraq will take part in the seminar.
“Two expert meetings to review Iraq’s strategic market will be held on the sidelines of the seminar,“ he said.
Meanwhile, the Eighth International Paint, Resin and Industrial Covering Exhibition will be held in Tehran’s International Fairground for four days from December 18.
Official in charge of the exhibition noted that a number of domestic and foreign companies have been invited to put their products on display in an area of 15,000 square meters. “At the four-day event, products such as chemicals and raw materials, production machinery, paint and industrial glues will be put on display,“ Mahshid Monfared said. He stated that several workshops and seminars will also be held on the sidelines of the exhibition.
Meanwhile, President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s advisor on free and economic zones (FEZ) held talks with visiting head of the German Investment Group MRK in Tehran on Saturday. At the meeting, Mahmoud Salahi noted that one of Iran’s major policies is to attract foreign investments. “Iran’s free trade and special economic zones have proper potentials for foreign investors,“ he said. “All foreign investors are welcome in the FEZs.“
Salahi further noted that anti-Iran resolutions by United Nations Security Council had no effect on deals with European countries.
Syria Calls for Broader Ties
Syrian Ambassador to Iran Hamed Hassan has said that his country is interested in boosting ties with Iran.
Addressing a meeting on ’Exports and Investments Opportunities of Gilan in Syria’, Hassan put the volume of Iran-Syria trade at $300 million.
According to IRNA, he said that the two countries are expected to further develop trade and expressed hope that the figure could reach $1.3 billion in the near future.
Hassan said that his country is willing to cooperate with Iran in the fields of tourism, agriculture and investment in the free trade zones.
Referring to the presence of Iranian companies in Syria, he termed this as a turning point for boosting cooperation.
During the visit, he held talks with Gilan Governor General Rouhollah Ghahremani Chabok on matters of mutual interests.
Hassan called for building ties between Gilan and Syrian provinces, including Latakia, Aleppo and Damascus.
Qahremani Chabok, for his part, noted that Gilan province is ready to cooperate with Syria in agriculture, tourism, industrial and other sectors.
Patent Law Revised
Iran’s Trademarks and Patent Registration Law first passed in 1931 has been substantially revised and updated after 77 years.
The move comes at a time when the country is coming to grips with rapid changes in trade and industry coupled with developments in the area of intellectual property rights.
The Law of Registration of Patents, Industrial Designs and Trademarks was first passed by parliament on January 23, 2008, and went into effect on a provisional basis for five years effective May 5, 2008.
According to Nourlaw.com, the new law, unlike its predecessor gives priority to patents and industrial designs over trademarks and is substantially as thorough in safeguarding these mechanisms as it is in protecting intellectual property rights.
Iran is signatory to the International Convention for Protection of Industrial Property (also known as the Paris Convention) and in December 2003 became a party to the Madrid Agreement and the Madrid Protocol for international registration of marks.
Last October, the parliament approved accession to the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) which enables inventors to register their patents in PCT member countries simply by filing a single application with related national registration authority.
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