International investment agreements should preventively address investor-State arbitration issues.
As investor-State arbitration cases multiply, more international investment agreements (IIAs) include more precise definitions and other measures intended to avoid disputes, a new UNCTAD report says. The UNCTAD study suggests that two important lessons have emerged from the last decade. First, question on the desirability of negotiating IIAs with extremely broad and imprecise provisions delegating to arbitration tribunals the task of identifying the meanings of disputed provisions. Second, when negotiating an IIA, a country should pay attention not only to the wording of the agreement, but also to the interaction between the IIA and the arbitration convention(s) referred to in the pact. The ANIMA Club intends to follow up on the outcomes of this survey in the Mediterranean countries.
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Turkey joins the Competitiveness and Innovation Programme (CIP)
The CIP aims to promote entrepreneurship, industrial competitiveness, innovation, ICT development and environmental technologies within the framework of the Lisbon Strategy. It is open to the 27 EU countries and the Mediterranean countries partners of the Union.
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Launch of the « co-development saving account » to incentive investments from the expatriate diaspora in Morocco
Launched by the French state and the French Caisse d'Epargne, this account will be used primarily to finance enterprises projects (of Moroccan living in France) in their country of origin.
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Algeria– Privatisation - At least 100 public companies should be opened to privatisation in 2008
Through this advertisement, the Promotion of the Investments and Industry Minister launches a clear signal to foreign investors.
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Algeria– Banks - Algerian public banks are prohibited of automobile loan, an opportunity for foreign operators
The constrained withdrawal of the Algerian banks of the automobile funding market could benefit the foreign banking operators and in particular French.
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Israel – Medical - Teva's animal health unit for sale
Israel's Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd is exploring strategic alternatives for its animal health business, including a sale.
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Jordan– Construction - Tenders for Aqaba’s desalination plant should be submitted from February 2008
This project, the first of its kind in the Hashemite kingdom, will be implemented in the Aqaba special economic zone and will provide 10 million cubic meter of water.
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Morocco – Chemistry – The foreign investors will have access to Moroccan phosphate
The Sherifs Office of Phosphates offers to foreign investors to be installed on its hub of Jorf Lasfar, with "a direct access to the products phosphate miners at lower cost, while profiting from tax and land advantages".
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Syria – Transportation - Liberalisation of air transportation –
Syria embraced a new approach: letting private airlines operate alongside ex-monopoly Syrianair. So far, three of them received a license.
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Tunisia– Agro business - Seeking commercial partners for the production and the distribution of aerated beverages
New manufacturing unit, canning unit (33 CL - Aluminium) and distribution of sodas (Cola, Orange, Lemon lime and Mango - the whole in Light version).
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Turkey– Medias - Major Turkish media group looking for foreign partnerships
Media company Dogan Yayin Holding is thinking of acquiring European companies in 2008. The group is also looking for a foreign partner at home, to support the development of its D-Smart digital TV platform.
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Turkey– Construction - PPP opportunity: Turkish state-run electricity producer runs a tender for the construction of two new thermal units
The tender also includes the rehabilitation of existing units at the Afsin-Elbistan coal power plant. The winner will get a a 15-year electricity-purchasing guarantee. Bidding deadline is June 26, 2008.
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Algeria - Drugs
The Egyptian pharmaceutical company Eipico plans to invest USD 200 million to create a factory in Algeria.

Egypt - Transport-logistics
The Dubai-based port operator Dubai Ports World (DP World) to buy a 90% stake in Sokhna Port for USD670 mln, and invest a further USD 1.3 bn over 3 years in its expansion.

Israel - xxx
The London-based firm Ecofin invests USD 105 million in Israeli solar company Solel.

Jordan - Public works, real estate
The Emirati company Limitless to create a subsidiary based in Amman to supervise future operations.

Libya - Banking
Jordan-based Arab Bank to buy 19 % of Libya's Wahda Bank for EUR 210 milion, with the right to raise it to 51%.

Morocco - Car manufacturers or suppliers
The Portuguese automotive and electronics subcontractor Joamar invests EUR 3.5 million in a production unit in Tangiers, creating 400 new jobs by 2009.

Syria - Transport
The Kuwaiti company Al Aqeelah owns a 35% stake in « Pearl of Syria », a private airline launched in JV with Syrian Sham Holding and Syrian Air.

Tunisia - Electronic ware
Creation of a JV between Tunisian businessman El Arem and Moroccan group Kadmiri for the production of air conditioners.

Turkey - Insurance
The Swiss-based firm Zurich Financial Services takes control of Turkish insurer TEB Sigorta and puts a foot in an insurance market in strong growth.

Algria– WTO : Algeria makes a step toward membership
During the 10th work meeting of the WTO on Algerian membership, 31 countries out of 35 have acknowledged the country was ready to join.
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Egypt– Attractiveness: four new investment zones in Egypt
The new investment zones will be established in the 10th of Ramadan and 6th of October Cities, near the Egyptian capital.
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Egypt – Various technological centres will be created thanks to international cooperation
Many innovation centres, like small organic fertilizer factories, will be set up in Upper Egypt's governorates in cooperation with Italy, Spain and Britain for an amount of EUR 7 million.
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Jordan– ICT National Strategy to create 35,000 jobs
The new ICT National Strategy 2007 – 2011 aims to foster the development of the ICT sector by promoting the creation of 35,000 jobs and increasing the internet penetration rate towards 50%.
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Lebanon– US technological companies called to settle in the country
A businessmen delegation is going to the US to promote the Lebanese site towards investors willing to outsource activities in the MENA region.
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Morocco – Steinbeis foundation wants to create an Aerocampus in Casablanca
The German foundation, specialised in technology and know how transfer is willing to train Moroccan and foreign executives working in the Nouasser aeropole.
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Syria– The Syrian Pearl is taking off
Born from a partnership between Cham Holding, the Koweitian Al-Aqeelah and Syrianair, the first private airline has just been created.
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Tunisia– Tourism: the country awarded by New York Times and Trip Advisor
Tunisia ranks third amid a total of 53 countries to visit in 2008 according to the New York Times while the American travel guide 'Trip Advisor' chooses the island of Djerba as the best destination in 2008.
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Tunisia– After Egypt, Tunisia to create a stock market for SMEs
This new alternative Tunisian market opened on the 3rd December 2007, with only one IPO foreseen for now: SOPAT (Agrofood).
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Turkey– Four million very small businesses waiting for a financer
SMEs account for between 95% and 99% of Turkish businesses. The latest research on microfinance in Europe, including Turkey, shows that microfinance yields almost twice the conventional return on assets.
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06-03-2008 to 06-03-2008 - Partnership meeting for SMEs, Sfax, Tunisia
UNIDO organises a business meeting day for European and Mediterranean companies to develop strategic partnerships in Tunisia in the following sectors: electronic, electricity, renewable energy and extraction. A list of 70 partnership offers is available upon request. The meetings will take place beside the MEDELEC fair trade (5-8 march 2008 in Sfax Tunisia), in a 28 sqm space located in the institutional hall of MEDELEC.
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06-03-2008 to 06-03-2008- Promoting sustainable tourism in the Mediterranean, Berlin, Germany
The European Investment Bank invites you to the 3rd FEMIP conference on the topic "Sustainable tourism in Mediterranean, environmental and economic stakes". This conference will be held at the exhibition park in Berlin, beside the ITB (Internationale Tourismus-Börse), the largest tourism fair trade, in the 6th march 2008 afternoon.
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25-03-2008 to 28-03-2008 - Salon Moubadara - Investment and entrepreneurship, Lâayoune, Morocco
The 7th fair trade Moubadara, focused on investment and company creation, will be held from 25 to 28 march 2008 in Lâayoune, with Moroccan and foreign participants. This show is aimed to match project promoters and entrepreneurs with adhoc institutions and administration, as well as financial institutions.
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28-03-2008 to 30-03-2008 - A Mediterranean Union, how and why?, Paris, France
Around central players on this, policy makers, business leaders, trade unionists, intellectuals, journalists, we encourage you to a great reflection on this project, the conditions of its success, its contours and its contents.
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24-04-2008 to 25-04-2008 - 2nd Euromed Capital Forum, Tunis, Tunisia
Organized by Spirarex, in association with ANIMA, this event will gather 500 Capital investment professionals and partners from the mediterranean side countries.
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