Emerging markets fair in Geneva

The second emerging markets fair that opened doors in Geneva Tuesday. Enterprises from some 50 emerging countries are taking part in the four-day event and will propose more than 1500 development projects.

Founder and chairman of the EMA foundation, Guy Mettan, had said few days before the fair opening that the event may highlight by the creation of an "international development stock exchange."

This project consists in setting up a kind of Nasdaq of emerging markets where the performing enterprises of the countries of the south will be quoted, he said.

He said the bourse will help the enterprises of emerging countries access international capital markets.

The event will be marked by the launching of another outstanding project, a network of businesswomen, he said adding that businesswomen from all over the world will participate in the show and will have thus the opportunity to establish south-south and north-south contacts.

A number of roundtables, workshops and conference will be held on the sidelines of the fair to debate new approaches to development, the promotion of the private sector, foreign investment in south-eastern Europe, invest in emerging Europe and Africa. An E-Day will be celebrated under the topic "free trade areas and E-business. How to avoid E-Colonization."

Meantime, Morocco is participating in the fair with a delegation, including diplomats, senior executives from the department of economy, finance, privatization and tourism, the industrial development office (ODI) and businessmen MAP reported. Businessman told MAP that Morocco's first participation in the fair this year is an "exploratory" participation. Morocco will enhance its participation in the coming years and will involve the private sector at a larger scale, the delegation members said.