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Agrobusiness |
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Consumer goods |
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Automotive, aeronautical, subcontracting, mechanics |
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Public works, construction, water and environment |
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Information technology, electronics, telecoms |
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Pharmacy, health, chemistry, biotechnologies |
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Textile, garments |
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| SECTOR PERSPECTIVES
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INDUSTRY |
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Public works, construction, water and environment |
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With the rapid growth of the populations, accelerating urbanisation and industrialisation, the public works, construction, water and environmental sectors would henceforth appear decisive for the future of the MEDA countries. The gradual disengagement of the States, the opening of the national markets and the increased demand of the populations should offer interesting prospects and opportunities for investing in these key sectors. |
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| Picture :
Construction, environement |
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Industry: |
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News of the sector |
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Investment Opportunities |
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Documents |
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Construction, environement
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Sectors in full expansion |
Estimated at more than 240 million in 2001, the total population of the MEDA countries has more than doubled in the space of thirty years and should reach more than 330 million in 2025. This strong demographic growth is accompanied by very important urbanisation and an acceleration in the industrialisation of the economies of the region. In this context, the demand for housing, town planning and better quality of life has strongly increased and the economic sectors concerned are experiencing increased dynamism. Although the needs exist, the offer generally remains too weak and investment efforts need to be made rapidly.
A sector such as the construction industry represents an equivalent share of total activity for both the countries of the European Union and the MEDA countries, while the latter still need to considerably increase their urban, road and even their industrial infrastructure. Facilities such as hospitals, schools or social housing are often lacking and public works need to be revitalised. |
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Water and the environment, the new challenges |
One of the major challenges for the region, in the years to come, will be the management of water resources and the protection of the environment. While water was erstwhile used essentially for agriculture, a number of contemporary evolutions nowadays require a very marked increase in consumption. Thus, of the twelve countries participating in the Euro-Mediterranean partnership, eight already use more than 50 % of their renewable water resources and they are likely to be using more than 100% between now and 2025. The demographic growth and urbanisation are important factors, but industrial development, an improvement in the standard of living and the needs of the tourist industry also play a role in the large increase in water needs. The new demand for water involves heavy investment so as to install and improve the distribution networks, to modernise agricultural irrigation and introduce new techniques such as the recycling of effluent and the desalination of sea water.
The protection of the environment has also become a priority for the MEDA countries. The growth in industrial activity and the boom in urbanisation produce environmental damage which directly threatens the important tourist sector as well as the quality of life of the populations. This sector also should be developed with the introduction of infrastructure facilities for the processing of waste and investments to ensure the protection and the upkeep of the environment. |
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Interesting prospects |
The Euro-Mediterranean partnership involves the liberalisation of the MEDA country economies and the opening of the national markets to foreign investors. The states are all making progress, albeit at a different pace, along the road to the disengagement of economic activity and opening up to competition. The public works sector, still largely in State hands, is rapidly opening up and should offer good opportunities for investment, as for example for the development of the road networks. The demand linked to construction is not sufficiently covered by the national enterprises and the drop in State protection of the markets should engender an increase in the contribution of capital. The extent of future needs concerning water and the environment is such that the States will not be able to cope alone and the investment prospects in these sectors are therefore highly propitious. |
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