Arabic News Weekly Edition for Economics, 6/21/1999
Weekly Edition, Economics - Week of June 21, 1999
- Belgian economic delegation starts visit to Libya today
A Belgian economic delegation that represents most Belgian economic sectors is starting a visit to Libya today in the framework of activity exerted by the recently-formed Belgian - Libyan commercial committee. Libya-Belgium, Economics, 6/26/1999 - $515 million in Egyptian - US commercial trade in first two months of 1999 Egypt-USA, Economics, 6/26/1999
- Morocco weathered world economic storm, says IMF
Prudent policies allowed Morocco to weather last year's world economic storm, said the International Monetary Fund on Friday in a statement summarizing a June 9 review of the Moroccan economy. Morocco, Economics, 6/26/1999 - 50.2 percent increase in the Egyptian tourist during May
The movement of tourists coming to Egypt recorded remarkable activity during May, as the number of tourists coming from all over the world reached 361,272 according to the latest report from the central body for mobilization and statistics. Egypt, Economics, 6/26/1999 - Moroccan and multinational insurance groups fuse
The Moroccan group "ONA" and multinational group "AXA" announced a fusion of their insurance branches. Morocco, Business, 6/26/1999 - Moroccan lorry drivers end strike
Moroccan lorry drivers announced on Friday an end to a strike they have been observing for two weeks to protest a decision to outfit on lorries a device that monitors the speed, energy-consumption and trip duration. Morocco, Economics, 6/26/1999 - Oman tries to diversify its economy away from oil
Omani Minister of Trade and Industry Maqboul Bin Ali Bin Sultan said on Wednesday that Oman is trying to diversify its economy, which is primarily based on oil, whose prices were reduced in the course of the recession in world oil prices. Oman, Economics, 6/25/1999 - 22 Arab unions discuss in Cairo the future of Arab economy
Cairo is to witness the biggest economic assembly for discussing the influence of the agreement of the World Trade Organization on economics in the Arab states in October before the start of a round of negotiations among the Arab states and the WTO by the beginning of the year 2000. Regional, Economics, 6/25/1999 - New $250 million automotive Egyptian - Korean company
An Egyptian - Korean Company for cars and other means of transportation was established with a capital of $250 million. Egypt, Business, 6/25/1999 - Despite protest of drivers, Morocco maintains decision to outfit lorries with speed recorder Morocco, Economics, 6/25/1999
- Tunis plans to merge three biggest banks Tunisia, Business, 6/25/1999
- Morocco will not renew fisheries accord with European Union, under same terms
Morocco has proposed another partnership formula, promoting joint ventures in fisheries-related sectors such as shipyards, ships maintenance, sea-food processing and fish-farming. Morocco-European Union, Economics, 6/25/1999 - Discussing establishing joint economic projects between Iraq and Lebanon
A delegation from the Iraqi Industrial Union that is visiting Lebanon under the chairmanship of Adnan El-Hamidawi started economic discussions at a meeting with members of the board of directors of the Lebanese Industrialists Association under the chairmanship of Jacques Sarraf, the head of the association. Lebanon-Iraq, Economics, 6/25/1999 - Arab ministers meeting took ambitious decisions to remedy tourism problems
Moroccan tourism minister Hassan Sebbar who took part in the 2nd session of the Arab ministerial council on tourism held in Sanaa (Yemen) said the session adopted an ambitious program to overcome problems hindering the development of tourism in the Arab states. Regional, Economics, 6/25/1999 - $1.7 billion in income from Suez Canal in 1998
Ahmed Fadel, head of Suez Canal organization, said the canal's income for 1998 decreased to $1.7 billion, despite an 11% increase in the containers crossing through the canal. Egypt, Economics, 6/25/1999 - Moroccan unionist leader decries government's coldness in handling social problems
UGTM had decided to withdraw from the social dialogue between the government, employers and trade unions. Afilal explained his union's position by the "government's non-respect of all its commitments." Morocco, Economics, 6/25/1999 - A new $40 million Egyptian - US Company for insurance
Frank Wisner, Vice Chairman, External Affairs of the American International Group and the U.S former ambassador in Egypt, stated that it was agreed with the Egyptian Orascom company to establish a new company for insurance with a capital of $40 million. Egypt-USA, Business, 6/25/1999 - Morocco's 1999 GDP to grow by 0.2%
According to the official organization, the fall of agricultural activity by 11% and of cereal output by 44% will contribute to the low GDP growth. Morocco, Economics, 6/25/1999 - Gulf Air receives Airbus planes Oman, Business, 6/25/1999
- Bank notes forgery web dismantled Morocco, Economics, 6/25/1999
- Yemen reaches agreement for tourism with Palestine Yemen-Palestine, Economics, 6/25/1999
- Palestinian unemployment average decreased last year
The Palestinian central statistics department said that the average of Palestinian unemployment decreased to 14.4% in 1998 from 20.3% in 1997, due to new jobs for workers in Israel and the Palestinian public sector. Palestine, Economics, 6/25/1999 - Italian - Arab chamber offers 18 projects for Saudi businessmen Saudi Arabia-Italy, Economics, 6/25/1999
- Establishing a new Iraqi bank Iraq, Economics, 6/24/1999
- Dubai gold imports total 199 tons
Dubai's gold imports during the last five months of the current year reached 199 tons, including 25.5 tons during April and March, 22.5 in February and 33.1 in January. United Arab Emirates, Economics, 6/24/1999 - FAO warns of poverty caused by drought in African horn Regional, Economics, 6/24/1999
- Bulgarian agricultural delegation in Amman Jordan-Bulgaria, Economics, 6/24/1999
- Libyan, Italian agricultural talks Libya-Italy, Economics, 6/24/1999
- Damascus starts paying Iranian debts
Well-informed sources in Damascus said that Syria will start to pay the first of its debts to Iran at the beginning of July in a bank account to be opened in the Syrian central bank in the name of the Iranian government. Syria-Iran, Economics, 6/23/1999 - Morocco grants french trade and industry chamber land plot to build industrial zone Morocco-France, Economics, 6/23/1999
- Arab states meet in Yemen examine opportunities in tourism sector
El-Rahman El-Sahibani, Arab League assistant secretary general for economic affairs, stated that the Arab states own 14 million kilometers of coasts and 60% of the world's archeology, but they receive only 3% of world tourism volume with a revenue of $18 billion from a world total of $400 billion Regional, Economics, 6/23/1999 - Tunisia and Mauritania sign program on technical and scientific cooperation in fishing
Tunisia and Mauritania signed on Monday a program on technical and scientific cooperation in the fishing sector for 1999-2001. Tunisia-Mauritania, Economics, 6/23/1999 - Governors of Francophone central banks meet in beirut
Governors of central banks of French- speaking countries will hold a two-day conference here starting June 25 with the participation of 20 countries, a press statement said on Tuesday. The conference will discuss currency exchange rates, challenges facing central banks and the us Dollar impact on inflation, the statement said. Regional, Economics, 6/23/1999 - Gulfstream announces well drilling
Gulfstream Resources Canada Limited announced today the drilling of two new production wells in Qatar's offshore Al Rayyan oil field. Qatar, Business, 6/23/1999 - Conference in Rabat calls for respect of copyright Morocco, Economics, 6/23/1999
- Seven groups bid for second mobile phone license
The deadline set for bidding for Morocco's second mobile phone license wound up on Tuesday with seven groups competing for winning the project, the Moroccan telecommunications regulation authority (ANRT) said. The second GSM phone license, is estimated by experts at $ 400 million. Morocco, Business, 6/23/1999 - Spanish agriculture minister in Morocco next July
Spanish minister of agriculture and fisheries, Jesus Posada, will pay a visit to Morocco next July in an attempt to reactivate negotiations on fisheries, reported the Spanish daily Faro de Vigo. Morocco-Spain, Economics, 6/23/1999 - 780 million Egyptian pounds for four Egyptian - British agriculture projects
Businessmen in Egypt and the U.K. agreed to establish four joint investment projects in agriculture at a cost of 780 million Egyptian pounds. Egypt-UK, Economics, 6/22/1999 - Tunisia's income increases due to tourism
Figures published by the Tunisian central bank showed that Tunisia's income of foreign currencies from tourism during the first five months of this year reached 603 million dinars ($503 million), an increase of 551 million dinars over the same period of last year. Tunisia, Economics, 6/22/1999 - A Saudi nominated as OPEC secretary
The Middle East Economic Survey issued in Nicosia on Monday said that Saudi Arabia will nominate its representative to OPEC's council of secretaries, Suleiman al-Harbish, to assume the post of OPEC secretary general. Regional, Economics, 6/22/1999 - GCC planning ministers meet in Abu Dhabi next Wednesday
The ministers of planning and development in the Gulf Cooperation Council states are to hold their eighth meeting in Abu Dhabi next Wednesday. Gulf, Economics, 6/21/1999 - Iraqi minister of trade visits Doha
Iraqi Minister of Trade Mohammed Mahdi Saleh is to arrive tomorrow in Doha, coming from Seirra Leone, for a one-day visit, the first for an Iraqi official to Doha. Qatar-Iraq, Economics, 6/21/1999 - Egypt seeks stronger trade with the USA
Egyptian Minister of Trade and Supply Ahmed Goweili, who will visit the United States on Wednesday as part of an economic delegation preparing for Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak's visit to the US, said the economic portion of President Mubarak's US agenda will focus on promoting bilateral economic, investment and trade ties. Egypt-USA, Economics, 6/21/1999 - Moroccan oil drilling firm signs accord with us company
Moroccan oil drilling firm (ONAREP) signed recently here an accord with US Skidmore Energy Inc to conduct oil drilling operations in the region of Essaouira, 490 km south of Rabat. Morocco-USA, Business, 6/21/1999