KU News Release

Former Saudi official to give 2007 Diplomat’s Forum Lecture at KU

LAWRENCE — Fawaz Al-Alamy, the former deputy minister of commerce and industry for Saudi Arabia, will present the 2007 Diplomat’s Forum Lecture the University of Kansas.

The lecture, titled “How Saudi Arabia Aims to Achieve Modernity While Preserving Valuable Traditions,” takes place from noon to 1:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 8, at 104 Green Hall.

The talk will focus on economic reforms and restructuring strategies; energy policies and future prospects; and the Doha Development Agenda and future of the Multilateral Trading System. As the chief technical negotiator for Saudi Arabia, Al-Alamy was principally responsible for the accession of Saudi Arabia to the World Trade Organization, which occurred on Dec. 11, 2005, after 12 years of difficult negotiations.

The Diplomat’s Forum Lecture is an annual event sponsored by the KU School of Law and is the most prestigious international legal event at the school. The aim of the forum is to provide a platform for an open sharing of thoughts on international law and relations and the United States through the unique perspective of an insightful professional with notable diplomatic experience in the service of a foreign government.

Al-Alamy was born in Abha, Saudi Arabia. In 1976, he obtained his bachelor’s, master’s and doctorate in energy physics in the United Kingdom. In 1985, he completed the advanced executive management program at Stanford University. He joined King Abdulaziz University in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, where he assumed several posts, including chair of the physics department, dean of environmental studies and chair of the research center.

In 1984, Al-Alamy became CEO and COO of a major multinational corporation. He also served as a board member in a number of regional and international firms. In 1996, he was appointed by the Saudi Council of Ministers as the deputy minister of commerce and industry.

Al-Alamy has been a member of the Board of the Privatization Committee, the Board of the General Investment Authority, the Board of the Saudi Industrial Development Fund, the Board of the Saudi Offset Committee and the Board of the Saudi Engineering Council. He also is chair of the Antidumping National Committee, a member of the Strategic Alliance Committee for Telecom, chair of the E-Commerce National Committee and chair of Trade and Environment National Committee.

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