Mission completed for the 1st edition of the Young Mediterranean Leaders Forum (YML)
In partnership with the Club XXI ème siècle and Regards, the Invest in Med programme organised a workshop focused on ‘the implication of the Mediterranean diasporas into the economic development of their countries of origin’. This workshop took place on the 18th of October 2008 in Tunis as part of the Young Mediterranean Leaders Forum (YML).
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16 global initiatives for the economic development of the Mediterranean launched by Invest in Med
The MedAlliance Board, steering committee of the Invest in Med programme (BusinessMed-ANIMA-Eurochambres-ASCAME), decided in Tunis on 17 October 2008 to launch 16 global initiatives contributing to the economic development of the countries of the Mediterranean. 45 support actions (training, business forum, exchanges of staff, technical assistance, studies and observatories, scoreboard, communication) envisaged in the workplan 2008-2009 of Invest in Med
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Algeria – Transport - Tender for the Haut Plateau motorway to be launched soon
According to the Italian Foreign Trade Institute's office in Algiers, the launch of the tender is planned for the end of 2008.
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Egypt – Port - Egyptian ports will be upgraded through government investment
The Egyptian government has decided to upgrade the country's main ports to the latest international standards.
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Israel – Tourism - Chinese tourists arrive in Israel
Israel is hoping to reach an agreement with Chinese authorities on increasing the number of tourist visa delivered to Chinese citizens willing to visit the country.
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Lebanon – Automobile - New acquisitions are booming in the country
In the wake of the return of political stability, Lebanese consumers purchase more and more cars. In 2008, it is expected that new car sales will reach between 24.000 and 27.000 units.
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Morocco – Privatisation – New round of privatisation announced in Morocco
These coming privatisations shall be officialised in 2009 and include Royal Air Maroc, two of its subsidiaries and seven other publicly held companies.
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Tunisia – Construction – Water desalination: launch of an international tender for 11 plants within a few weeks
Three desalination plants are being established in the Governorate of Tozeur. Eleven more will be the object of an international tender about to be launched.
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Turkey – Telecom – Turkey's tender for 3G mobile phone licenses to be launch before 2009
"The tender will be held in December if there is no extraordinary development," an anonymous source close to the transaction declared to Reuters. The first auction was cancelled due to a lack of contestants.
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Algeria - Insurance
CAAT will ink MoU with Mutuaide, part of Groupama, to set up a JV to provide insurance contracts’ side-services such as travel assistance.

Egypt - Chemistry
The chemicals maker Solvay to benefit from the total privatisation of Alexandria Sodium Carbonate Company (ASCC), whose production capacity will be increased.

Israel - Health
The animal health and nutrition products specialist Phibro Animal Health / Koffolk to buy Teva’s Israeli veterinary business, including a manufacturing plant with 90 employees.

Jordan - Transport
The Amman Zarqa Light Railway project will eventually be carried out by Ineco-Tifsa and Kuwait’s Noor through a 30 years BOT contract

Lebanon - Tourism
The owner of the famous Vichy thermal baths will run, through an engineering and management contract, a Vichy Spa and a hotel built by local investors.

Lybia - Construction
The manufacturer of modular buildings Red Sea Housing Services to create a new subsidiary in Libya as a prelude to the construction of a giant factory by June 2009.

Morocco - Real estate
Mixta Africa, backed by the IFC and the Saudi prince Alwaleed Bin Talal, to launch BabTetouan, a mixed-used project including shopping mall and hotels.

Syria - Financial services
Dubai-based financial group to team up with local Cham Holding and create a JV brokerage company to operate in the new Damascus stock exchange.

Tunisia - Electronic components
Specialist in screen texture equipments for the electronic industry to set up a North African production and distribution subsidiary in Tunis.

Turkey - Health
The Greek group Marfin Investment Group will acquire 50 % of a land plot in Istanbul that belongs to Safak for USD5 mln, and build there a modern general hospital.

Algeria– The Algerian People’s National Assembly passes a draft law on industrial land tenure
The project on industrial land tenure, which was voted on the 5th of October 2008, concerns the concession of public land with a duration extended from 33 to 99 years.
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Egypt – Egyptian Authorities cancel taxes on cement and steel exports
This decision, taken by Trade and Industry Minister Rachid Mohamed Rachid is a response to the potential global economic slowdown. It aims at supporting national companies.
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Israel – WIPO Report 2008: 1 patent out of a 100 in the world is Israeli
According to the 2008 report of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) on patent activity in the world, Israel would be 15th out of 138 nations.
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Jordan, Tunisia– Davos Forum: The 2 countries distinguish themselves in the 2008 report on international competitiveness
Tunisia places itself at rank 35th while Jordan reaches 48th position in this widely consulted international ranking.
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Lebanon - Lebanese Parliament passed a new law aimed at deeply reforming the status of offshore companies
From now on, the Chairman as well as the members of the Board of Directors of offshore companies registered in Lebanon will not need to have Lebanese citizenship.
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Libya – Opening of an American commercial office in Libya
The United States and Libya have opened on the 5th of October 2008 a commercial bureau in Tripoli, which should help relaunch economic relations between the two countries.
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Morocco – The cement sector keeps on growing
With Euro 1.5 billion in investments for the 1998-2008 decade and a production capacity of 21 million tones at the end of 2008, the cement sector is doing well.
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Sirya – Syrian economic reforms are starting to show results
The "Doing Business 2009" report (released by the International Finance Corporation) reveals that Syria has deeply improved its business climate by facilitating business start up and cross-border trade.
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4 November 2008 - First Algerian Islamic Finance Forum, Algioers, Algeria
This forum concerns actors of the financial industry in Algeria, but also the leaders of all groups operating in the countries of North Africa and Europe.
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17 to 23 November 2008 - 2nd Mediterranean Economic Week, Marseille, France
Save the date and plan to stay in Marseille for this week where over 20 economic events on Mediterranean will be held, including several recurring conferences (Euromed Investment Summit of The Economist, Medinnov 4, the conference on Financing Innovation of Medibtikar program, Rendez-Vous Economiques de la Méditerranée from the Cercle des Economistes and Institut de la Méditerranée, and Aspen Round Table).
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27 to 28 November 2008 - The Enterprise and the Union for the Mediterranean, Tunis, Tunisia
The Tunisia-based Arab institute of Entrepreneurs will set up the 23th edition of the days of the Enterprise 2008, focusing on the existing links between the Business community and the newly launched Union for the Mediterranean
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