John Gareeb, managing director of Atlanta-based Kalene International Inc., will be attending The Middle East/North Africa Economic Summit to be held in Amman, Jordan Oct. 29-31 which will bring world leaders and business people together in an effort to realize the economic benefits of the peace accords signed by Israel and Arab countries.

Crown Prince Al Hassan Bin Talal will chair the summit which will be hosted by the World Economic Forum. It is co-sponsored by the U.S. and Russia with the support of Canada, the European Union and Japan.

Born in Amman, Mr. Gareeb’s company now primarily exports to Arabian Gulf countries such as Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates.  But he thinks that countries such as Egypt, Jordan, Israel, Palestine, Syria and

Iraq will be long-term growth markets for U.S. products and services once peace is fully established.

Mr. Gareeb, formerly the Middle East marketing manager in 1988 and 1989 for ConAgra, one of the largest U.S. food corporations, told GlobalFax that he has visited the region often since founding his own export management company and that he expects his and other companies will benefit from the entire region’s economic development.

He decided to open a second office in Atlanta in 1994 because of Georgia’s strength as an agricultural producer and the city’s emergence as an international business center.  A member of the  State of New Jersey Governor’s Commission on International Trade, Mr. Gareeb also maintains an office in Newton, N.J.

As a member of the commission, Mr. Gareeb  provides New Jersey Gov. Christine Whitman with advice concerning international matters including political and economic developments in the Middle East.

 Mr. Gareeb welcomes inquiries from Georgia food manufacturers who may be interested in exporting to the Mideast.  In addition, he said that he is studying the possibility of representing U.S. companies in the region in non-food sectors such as lumber and paper, medical supplies, pharmaceuticals, environmental equipment, franchise companies, and others.

For more information, he may be reached by calling (770) 394-7999; fax, (770) 394-5295.