Since 2002 the ANIMA project financed by the European Commission supports the Mediterranean countries in servicing incoming investors, and promoting a dynamic economic image of the region based on its FDI observatory. In April 2006 the Euro-Mediterranean countries (14 countries from the two Mediterranean banks) launched ANIMA Investment Network (AIN) a new structure and intergovernmental platform for the economic development of the Mediterranean. In addition to continuing its capacity transfer and think tank missions, AIN is also committed in advocating a stable, dynamic, transparent and fair economic environment for business towards governments.

The ANIMA Club emerged from the idea to get together AIN members -mainly investment promotion agencies (IPAs)- and private companies working in the region in a productive forum to identify the key improvements of the Mediterranean business environment and suggest concret solutions. Acting as a “voice for business”, the ANIMA club aims at producing recommendations based on ANIMA think tank observations and establsihing a constructive dialogue between companies running businesses in the region, Euro-Med governments and investment agencies.

Benefiting from services developed by the ANIMA think tank,  the Club members also gather twice a year to tackle fundamental issues for the economic development of the region (such as financing of SMEs, visa facilitation, women empowerment, training of staff etc.).

ANIMA Club members become full members of ANIMA Investment Network. Two levels of membership are offered to join the ANIMA Club:

Associated partners: SME’s investing or willing to invest in the Mediterranean, actors servicing investors, such as consultants, financiers, lawyers, experts in real estate, human resources, utilities, logistics etc. These supporters find in the ANIMA club a place to exchange ideas and experiences, to transfer their best practices to counterparts in other countries and to assist each other. They are given access to the ANIMA Community (General Assembly, newsletters, activity reports), to a privileged networking (access to the Euro-Mediterranean Business Summit -ANIMA and The Economist annual conference, gathering with IPAs, workshops) and to ANIMA investment intelligence and think tank (investment observatories, data bases and studies).

Strategic partners: these are European, Mediterranean or world champions -companies or institutions- willing to accompany the ANIMA success story. They are used as models in terms of sustainable investment and support ANIMA while advising investment agencies and governments. They create confidence vi-à-vis the investor community. As champions of economic development in the region, they have a full access to the ANIMA community and they fully benefit from its expertise. They contribute to designing the agenda of the Club and benefit from joint promotion during events and communication actions.

Download our invitation to join the ANIMA Club and our membership form.