Arabic News Weekly Edition for Economics, 2/21/2000
Weekly Edition, Economics - Week of February 21, 2000
- Program for employing 13 million Arab unemployed Regional, Economics, 2/26/2000
- Morocco, France sign handicraft cooperation accord
Morocco and France concluded on Friday in Rabat a cooperation accord in the realms of handicraft. Morocco-France, Economics, 2/26/2000 - Kuwaiti fund studies Moroccan projects
The Kuwaiti Fund for Arab Economic Development is currently studying means to finance several projects in Morocco. Kuwait-Morocco, Economics, 2/26/2000 - Morocco's GDP to grow by 6% in 2000, minister
Morocco's gross domestic product (GDP) is expected to grow by 6% in 2000, the Moroccan economic forecast and planning minister said. Morocco, Economics, 2/26/2000 - Moroccan-Italian industrial partnership days in Italy
Moroccan-Italian industrial partnership days were held in the Italian cities of Catane, Napoli and Bari, February 21-25. Morocco-Italy, Economics, 2/26/2000 - A Swiss finance for 4 Egyptian projects Egypt-Switzerland, Economics, 2/25/2000
- Establishing largest solar village in the world Saudi Arabia, Economics, 2/25/2000
- Arab industrial and trade chambers Union call for an Arab economic summit
Council of the Arab industrial and commercial trade chambers union urged n convening an Arab economic summit to achieve the Arab economic integration and comprehensive development in the Arab states. Regional, Economics, 2/25/2000 - Morocco deplores low level of Moroccan-British trade
Moroccan finance and economy minister, Fathallah Oulalou, said the evolution of trade exchanges between Morocco and Britain still falls short of existing opportunities. Morocco-UK, Economics, 2/25/2000 - Kuwait, US hold energy talks
Kuwaiti Minister of Oil Sheikh Saud Nasir al-Sabah met yesterday in Kuwait with US Secretary of Energy Bill Richardson to discuss the international oil market. Kuwait-USA, Economics, 2/25/2000 - February 2000 2 Million visitors Dubai shopping festival
Sources in the administration of Dubai shopping festival that will be held between 1st - 31st of coming March - expect some 2 million visitors would visit the festival this year, which has become of the most important shopping festivals in the area United Arab Emirates, Business, 2/25/2000 - Coca Cola transfers regional headquarters to Bahrain Regional, Business, 2/25/2000
- Indian Hotel Chain to Invest in $100 Million in Morocco
The Indian hotel Chain Oberoi Hotels will carry out tourism projects worth $ 100 million in Morocco. Morocco-India, Business, 2/25/2000 - Japan will understand third world problems
Japan will understand developing countries' problems more precisely if it wins the top post of the U.S.-based International Monetary Fund (IMF), Thai Prime Minister Chuan Leekpai said in BangKoc on Thursday. Regional-Japan, Economics, 2/25/2000 - 100,000 Japanese tourists to Egypt anticipated Egypt-Japan, Economics, 2/24/2000
- Largest Middle East communications conference in Abu Dhabi next May Regional-United Arab Emirates, Business, 2/24/2000
- Morocco's yearlong festival in France closes
The French presidential couple and Princess Lalla Meriem (sister of King Mohammed VI) attended on Tuesday the closure ceremony of the Moroccan year-long festival in France. Morocco-France, Economics, 2/24/2000 - MAP chief confers with Indian counterpart
Director-General of the Moroccan news agency MAP, Mohamed Yassine Mansouri, conferred in New Delhi Wednesday with head of the Press Trust of India (PTI), M.K Razdan, on means to upgrade existing cooperation ties between the two agencies. Morocco-India, Business, 2/24/2000 - Algerian economy seeks investors Algeria, Economics, 2/24/2000
- In concluding the Arab water security conference
The Arab water security conference urged at the conclusion of its works on forming a joint Arab perception to confront the risks resulting from the water crisis and to determine mechanisms to confront it. Regional, Economics, 2/24/2000 - Moroccan business delegation travels to US to explore $2 billion worth projects
A Moroccan public and private business delegation will head next March to the United States to negotiate an investment program for 20 projects, worth $2 billion. Morocco-USA, Business, 2/24/2000 - Morocco, UNDP sign women promotion agreement
Morocco and the United Nations Development Program signed in Rabat Wednesday a cooperation agreement called "Gender and Development" providing for several measures to promote women's status. Morocco, Economics, 2/24/2000 - Tourism generated $1.6 billion in 1999
Tourism was Morocco's first source of hard currency in 1999 with $1.6 billion, a Moroccan official said. Morocco, Economics, 2/24/2000 - Oman to set up oil trade center in Thailand
Oman and Thailand have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to set up an oil trade and distribution center in Thailand, the Thai news agency, TNA, reported. Oman-Thailand, Economics, 2/24/2000 - Chinese business delegation in Morocco Sunday
A Chinese business delegation is expected in Morocco next Sunday on a six-day visit to explore with Moroccan peers partnership opportunities. Morocco-China, Business, 2/24/2000 - Kuwait to invest $4 billion in Indonesia
Kuwait said it will soon invest some $ 4 billion in the oil industry in Selayar island, Indonesia, Indonesian news agency ANTARA reported on Wednesday. Kuwait-Indonesia, Economics, 2/24/2000 - Morocco, Belgium assess cooperation in drinking water supply
Morocco and Belgium reviewed cooperation in drinking water supply and sanitation in light of numerous support actions undertaken in this connection by Belgium in Morocco. Morocco-Belgium, Economics, 2/24/2000 - Turkey and waters to Syria and Iraq
Sessions of the international conference for water security which concludes its works today in Cairo on Tuesday witnessed verbal rows between the Turkish and Iraqi delegations when the chairman of the Turkish delegation, Ali Ihsan Baghish, refused to consider the rivers of the Tigris and the Euphrates to be international rivers. Regional, Economics, 2/23/2000 - 200 million LE in German loans for small projects in Egypt
The aid and loan program presented by the German government for small projects in Egypt will be implemented in March. Egypt-Germany, Economics, 2/23/2000 - Agreement for Egyptian - US energy cooperation Egypt-USA, Economics, 2/23/2000
- Reversing brain drain is Africa's major challenge
A conference on brain drain and capacity building in Africa is currently taking place here to review issues pertaining to the causes, magnitude and implications of brain drain in Africa in the context of the current debate about capacity building in the continent. Regional, Economics, 2/23/2000 - Morocco, as a financial place for the future, theme of a conference in Paris
The Moroccan-French association circle and a portfolio managing firm are holding in Paris this Feb. 23-24 a colloquy to debate potentials of Morocco as a financial place for the future. Morocco-France, Economics, 2/23/2000 - Tunisia attracted $ 550 million of investments in 1999
Tunisian minister of international cooperation and foreign investments Fathi Merdasi said here on Tuesday that his country has attracted in 1999 nearly $ 550 million in foreign investments, an increase of 25% in comparison with 1998. Tunisia, Economics, 2/23/2000 - Moroccan executive delegation tours gulf states
A Moroccan executive delegation will undertake this February 26 through March 9 a tour in Arab Gulf states to attract investments from the oil-rich region to Morocco. Morocco-Gulf, Economics, 2/23/2000 - Report: Moroccan paper rejects Spanish blackmailing and pressure over fisheries agreement
Moroccan daily "L'opinion" rejected this Wednesday Spain's blackmailing and pressure to make Morocco resume negotiations over a fisheries agreement. Morocco-Spain, Economics, 2/23/2000 - Moroccan bank opens branch in London
Moroccan BMCE bank (Banque Marocaine de Commerce Exterieur) opened a branch here, in a move described by Moroccan finance and economy minister, Fathallah Oualalou, as "an important working tool" to promote permanent links between the two countries' economies. Morocco-UK, Business, 2/23/2000 - International video festival in Casablanca in March Morocco-Regional, Business, 2/23/2000
- Morocco, France to sign handicraft agreement Morocco-France, Economics, 2/23/2000
- Non-refundable donation from Islamic Development Bank to Egypt
The board of directors of the Islamic Development Bank under the chairmanship of Ahmed Mohammed Ali agreed on presenting a non-refundable donation to Egypt of $225,000 US to be used to prepare the necessary studies for providing water resources to settle the Bedouins in the Sinai Peninsula. Egypt, Economics, 2/22/2000 - Iran declares readiness to sell water to neighboring countries
Iranian Deputy Energy Minister Reda Ardiknal asserted his country's readiness to negotiate concerning transporting Iranian water to neighbor states, saying that Iran is in a position that qualifies it to transport 2 billion cubic meters of water annually-- 50% of the area's countries' needs. Regional-Iran, Economics, 2/22/2000 - Drought threatens Iraq
Iraqi Agriculture Minister Abdallah Hamid Mahmud al-Salih warned yesterday of the possibility of Iraq being exposed to a disaster due to the drought which threatens Iraqi agriculture, saying that Iraq is suffering for the second year from a severe drought, and he called for economizing the use of water. Iraq, Economics, 2/22/2000 - Jordanian, Israeli transport talks Jordan-Israel, Economics, 2/22/2000
- Egyptian - Japanese business council to meet in Tokyo during October Egypt-Japan, Economics, 2/22/2000
- Moroccan carrier to promote Morocco, Egypt tourism flow
The Moroccan carrier, Royal Air Maroc (RAM) said it has devised an ambitious program to promote tourism flow between Morocco and Egypt. Egypt-Morocco, Business, 2/22/2000 - 6 billion LE to establish 81 new hotels over two years
The coming two years will witness the establishment of 81 new hotels, among which are 74 stable hotels and seven floating hotels, at a cost reaching 6 billion LE. Egypt, Business, 2/22/2000 - London conference probes investment opportunities in Morocco
British Invisibles, a British company of international financial services, held for potential British investors a conference moderated by a group of Moroccan officials and Britain's ambassador to Morocco, Anthony Layden. Morocco-UK, Economics, 2/22/2000 - Cairo hosts an international conference on Arab water
Deliberations of the 8th international conference on Arab water security started on Monday in Cairo. They were presided over by the chairman of the World Water Council and Egypt's water resources and public work minister, Mahmoud Abu Zeid. Regional, Economics, 2/22/2000 - Spain says it will make pressures for resumption of its fishing in Morocco
Spanish minister of agriculture, fisheries and food, Jesus Posada, said his government will make the "adequate" pressures to obtain the resumption of fishing by its fleet in Moroccan waters. Morocco-Spain, Economics, 2/22/2000 - Doha to get new department store Qatar, Business, 2/22/2000
- Mubarak meets with German president
Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak received German President Johannes Rau, who arrived in Cairo today on a five-day visit, during which he is escorted by a large number of businessmen and heads of German companies working in the industrial and technological fields. Egypt-Germany, Economics, 2/21/2000 - Egyptian businessmen's mission to visit Algeria in March
A mission of Egyptian businessmen will travel at the end of March to visit Algeria to increase opportunities for joint commercial, investment and economic cooperation. Egypt-Algeria, Economics, 2/21/2000 - Egypt spent $100 billion on infrastructure in 15 years
Prime Minister Atef Ebeid said that Egypt spent about 100 billion dollars during the past 15 years to renovate and expand its infrastructure. Egypt, Economics, 2/21/2000 - Belgian business delegation visits Morocco
Minister of foreign trade and environment of the Brussels region, Didier Cosuin, started Sunday a visit to Morocco, leading a Belgian business delegation. Morocco-Belgium, Economics, 2/21/2000 - Meetings of the Arab work ministers in Sharm El-Sheik in March
Ibrahim Qwaider, general manager of the Arab Labor Organization, said that the conference will discuss many topics that concern human development, the labor forces and the laborers' situation in the Arab states in light of the current economic and social changes. Regional, Economics, 2/21/2000 - Syria, UNDP sign protocol
In the framework of the technical cooperation with the United Nations Development Program for 1997-2000, an agreement on the project of administrating traditional and non-conventional water resources in the area of agriculture between the UNDP and Syria was signed on Sunday at the premises of the state planning commission. Syria-UN, Economics, 2/21/2000 - US secretary of energy to visit Egypt tomorrow
US Secretary of Energy Bill Richardson is due to arrive tomorrow in Cairo for a several-day visit. Egypt-USA, Economics, 2/21/2000 - $20 billion in Algerian losses due to eight years of terrorism
The Algerian newspaper El-Watan today quoted Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika as saying that the sabotage that took place due to terrorism in the last eight years cost Algeria's economy nearly $20 billion and said that President Bouteflika revealed this estimate during his recent tour in the Gulf region. Algeria, Economics, 2/21/2000 - Nilesat 102, a huge technological leap
Information Minister Safwat el-Sherif is pressing for a stronger Egyptian-French media cooperation now that Egypt's second satellite 'Nilesat 102' will be sent into orbit in August. Egypt, Business, 2/21/2000 - Moroccan textile and garments exhibitions in London and Paris next March
The Moroccan textile and garments exhibition known as "VETMA" will be held in London and Paris next March. Morocco, Business, 2/21/2000