Conference Chairman

 Dear Friends,

I am pleased to announce that the 24th Annual IAOM Mideast & Africa District Conference & Expo will be held in Sousse, Tunisia, from 05 to 08 November 2013.

Sousse - also known as ‘the pearl of the Sahel’ - has a rich history and is also a modern city playing a leading role in the Tunisian economy.

It is a beautiful city that was founded by the Phoenicians and was called Hadrumetum in the 11th century B.C. It was then elevated to the status of the main seaport of the Aghlabid Dynasty in the 8th century. The old city of Sousse known as The Medina, surrounded by its fortifications, with the central mosque and the roman museum in Casbah, is witnessing the rich history of the city. UNESCO declared The Medina of Sousse as a Word Heritage Site in 1988.

Three famous historical cities are located within 60 km of Sousse. Kairouan was the Islamic cultural capital of the Maghreb. Mahdia was made capital of Ifriqya by Caliph Abdallah El Fatimi. El Djem is famous for its Roman amphitheater used for gladiator shows and chariot races.

Sousse is the third economic region in Tunisia with its olive groves stretching over more than 2,500 square kilometers. It also has important factories in agricultural businesses and different other industries. These industries strongly contribute to the competitiveness of Tunisia in the exportation of different products to various countries. The economy of the region is facilitated by Sousse’s seaport, the two nearby airports of Monastir and Enfidha and a strong highways infrastructure linking Sousse to Tunis and Sfax in 90 minutes and to Kairouan, El Djem, Mahdia, Nabeul and Hammamet in one hour.

Moreover, Sousse is an important tourism hub with its hotel complexes and fine sandy beaches. The city has a capacity of 40 thousand beds extending 20 km from the downtown Boujaafar beachfront to the famous Port El Kantaoui.

Our conference will be held in the Môvenpick Hotel Resort and Spa Sousse located in the downtown area, offering different facilities, such as ATMs, cafés, restaurants, and shops will be easily found, making it even more comfortable for you to enjoy your stay.

We look forward to meet you again our regular participants and to welcome our new colleagues and friends from around the world. See you in Sousse

Yours Sincerely,

 


Kamel Belkhiria

CEO, La Rose Blanche 
Tunisia

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