The Arab Centre for Communication and International Relations (ACCIR) will open representative offices in Sudan, Syria and other Arab countries this year.

A Egyptian-Syrian joint venture will be announced during the inauguration ceremony of the Syrian office, said Sulaiman Al Mazroui, ACCIR secretary general. he refused to declare investment involved.

The centre already has representative offices in Jordan, Egypt, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia and Qatar.

ACCIR's board of directory are also meeting in Dubai on Thursday to discuss new year's strategy, last year's accomplishments, a conference in Amman and the initiation of an award, said Al Mazroui.

In collaboration with Gulf Tomorrow Trading Group, ACCIR is expected to issue its comprehensive Arabic/English Arab businessmen directory within the coming six months. It will carry profiles on around 150 to 200 UAE businessmen, to be followed by the GCC countries and the remaining Arab countries.

Depending on the response, the updated directory will be issued regularly, explained Saeed Al Barq, Gulf Tomorrow Trading Group chairman.

On whether the centre offered businessmen tangible assistance in cutting down red tape or in business, Al Mazroui said: "Board members believe in the cause of the centre and it succeeded in starting projects between Arab partners - including GCC. They are few but they became true.

"ACCIR representative offices were facilitators for issues. Problems facing some UAE businessmen were solved by the office in Saudi Arabia."

On the directory, Mazroui said letters of introduction were sent to prominent local businessmen and other Arabs working in the UAE. Their response was positive.

A website will be launched in the near future that could be linked to chambers of commerce and industry and businessmen included in the directory in a later stage, added Al Barq.

"Containing general information about Arab businessmen in various economic sectors, work profiles, addresses and contact numbers, the directory could be distributed to all embassies, chambers of commerce and industry and other business centres around the world.

"It is not difficult to find business partners but connecting and including them in one directory is important," said Al Mazroui.

"Not all Arab businessmen have Internet access or use it. The directory can also offer new products and investment opportunities.

"There is no alternative for joint Arab economic integration and it is important to connect Arab businessmen for trade exchange growth," noted Amer Alatiyat, general manager, Gulf Tomorrow Media Est.