Arabic News Weekly Edition for Economics, 4/9/2001
Weekly Edition, Economics - Week of April 9, 2001
- Mauritanian president receives Moroccan minister
Mauritanian president, Mouaouyia Ould Sid Ahmed Taya, met in Nouakchott Thursday Moroccan minister of economy, finance, privatization and tourism, Fathallah Oualalou, who attended the official transfer of 51% of Mauritania's phone operator "Mauritel" to Morocco's phone operator "Maroc-Telecom." Mauritania-Morocco, Economics, 4/14/2001 - Tunisia: poverty rates decreased in the year 2000
Poverty rate decreased in Tunisia in the year 2000 to 4.2% after it was 6.2% in 1995. This is due to the developmental policies purused by the Tunisian government since the year 1987. A policy which gave special interest to social care and fair distribution of profits, as more than one million inhabitants benefited from loans given by the National Fund for solidarity known as Fund 26-26, which was established by the Tunisian President Zein al-Abidin Bin Ali in 1992. Tunisia, Economics, 4/14/2001 - Moroccan phone operator hands in $ 48 mln check for 51% of Mauritania's Mauritel
Morocco and Mauritania signed here on Thursday the agreement under which 51% of Mauritania's telecom operator (Mauritel) goes to Morocco's phone operator (Maroc Telecom). Morocco-Mauritania, Business, 4/14/2001 - Kuwaiti parliament opens the file of trade cooperation with Jordan
Suddenly, the foreign relations committee at the Kuwaiti Nation's Council ( parliament) will today ( Saturday) open the file of a draft law issued 14 years ago calling for increasing trade, economic and technical cooperation between Kuwait and Jordan. Kuwait-Jordan, Economics, 4/14/2001 - Egypt invests LE400 billion on infrastructure in 20 years
In a rally in Menia, Upper Egypt, on Friday, Ibrahim El-Demeiri said his ministry invited Arab and foreign investors to invest in a number of its huge projects under certain conditions aiming to protect the national economy. Egypt, Economics, 4/14/2001 - Free zones to turn into export areas
Chairman of the General Authority For Investment and Free Zones (GAFI) Mohammed A1 Ghamrawi said yesterday that turning free zones into areas where commodities for exporting purposes are manufactured has become an imperative demand especially that local industries have become up to the level of competitiveness in the foreign markets. Egypt, Economics, 4/14/2001 - Central Bank of Egypt slash of discount rate reflects positive turn of economy
An Egyptian economic official described the Central Bank of Egypt (CBE)'s reduction of the discount rate on lending from 12 percent to 11.5 percent as reflective of the positive performance of the economy and the growing confidence in the Egyptian pound. Egypt, Economics, 4/14/2001 - EIB offers 75million euro to set up a new power station
The European Investment Bank (EIB) has agreed to extend 75 million euros as a soft loan to Egypt for financing the establishment of a power station north of Cairo. Egypt, Economics, 4/14/2001 - Egypt enlisted in Stanley Morgan index
International Stanley Morgan (S.M.) establishment announced official enlisting of Egypt at the investment indexes to be issued starting from May 31, 2001. That is an indication of the confidence entrusted in the Egyptian economy and the Egyptian Financial Market. Egypt, Economics, 4/14/2001 - Fisheries minister renews morocco's will to resume negotiations with EU
Moroccan fisheries minister, Said Chbaatou, renewed Morocco's will to resume negotiations with the European Union on a new fisheries agreement. Morocco-European Union, Economics, 4/14/2001 - Arab pharmacists meet in Algiers
The 24th conference of the Arab Pharmacists Federation discuss during its session which start in Algiers tomorrow ( Sunday) and lasts for three days, pharmacy and its future in the Arab states and evaluating pharmaceutical industry and efforts to establish an Arab market for medicines. Regional, Economics, 4/14/2001 - Ministers discuss Arab Economic Summit
Egyptian Prime Minister Atef Ebeid held a Ministerial meeting Wednesday on an agenda of an Arab Economic Conference to be hosted by Egypt in November under a resolution adopted by the Arab summit, held in March in Jordan. Egypt-Regional, Economics, 4/12/2001 - Portugal seeks access to Morocco for traditional fishermen, EU concedes Morocco proposed access to 100 units
Portugal will seek an agreement with Morocco to obtain permission to conduct traditional fishing activities in Moroccan waters in a new attempt making a distinction between traditional and industrial fishing. Morocco-Portugal, Economics, 4/12/2001 - Saudi daily suspended because of financial risk
The Saudi " al-Jazira" foundation for press and publications on Wednesday announced the suspension of issuing its paper al-Masaeyah ( the night time ) daily as from April 19. Saudi Arabia, Business, 4/12/2001 - Morocco urges for ratification of international convention on protection of migrant labor rights
Morocco renewed on Wednesday a call on countries to speed up and activate the signing and ratification of the international convention for the protection of migrant labor rights, stressing that the upsurge of xenophobia and racism contradict the values of humanism. Morocco-Regional, Economics, 4/12/2001 - Morocco, France sign agreements for support of SMI modernization
Morocco and France signed in Rabat on Wednesday a package of agreements meant to support and modernize Moroccan small and medium-sized enterprises. Morocco-France, Economics, 4/12/2001 - Spanish southern fishermen block Moroccan exports
Fishermen from the Spanish southern locality of Barbate have decided to block Moroccan exports at the Spanish port of Algesiras, to press on for resuming negotiations between Morocco and the European Union for the renewal of a fisheries agreement. Morocco-Spain, Economics, 4/12/2001 - Morocco, Syria to set up high joint commission
Morocco and Syria will set up shortly a high joint commission to take care of the promotion of economic and commercial cooperation between the two states. Morocco-Syria, Economics, 4/11/2001 - Mubarak meets EIB Chairman
Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak received on Tuesday morning at the Presidency Palace President of the European Investment Bank (EIB) and his accompanying delegation. Egypt-European Union, Economics, 4/11/2001 - Egypt committed to carry out integration programs between market in north and south Mediterranean
Egyptian Prime Minister Atef Ebeid stressed the importance of holding the meeting of the Board of the European Investment Bank in Cairo, particularly following the initialing two months ago of the Egyptian-European Partnership Agreement. Egypt, Economics, 4/11/2001 - Ministerial meeting for protecting Egypt's interest in World Trade liberalization issues
President Mubarak asserted that working papers should lay emphasis on multi-party framework in foreign trade in its capacity as these are the proper framework for developing countries topped by Egypt. Egypt, Economics, 4/11/2001 - Israeli- Turkish economic relations
The BBC correspondent in Ankara said that Tuesday's visit of the Israeli foreign minister Shemon Peres to Turkey aims at signing a deal concerning the financial and economic condition of Turkey which is currently in crises. Israel-Turkey, Economics, 4/11/2001 - Mubarak attends event marking start of harvest season in Sharq AL Owainat
Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak today arrived in Shark Al Owainat, Al wadi Al jedid (new valley) governorate in the western desert where he will see for himself the start of the harvest season. Egypt, Economics, 4/11/2001 - Casablanca water, power management company scores $ 390 mln in sales
The Lyonaise des Eaux (Lydec) company, which manages water and power distribution in Casablanca, said it scored sales worth $ 390 million in 2000. Morocco, Business, 4/11/2001 - Idle Spanish fishermen transferred to Tunisian waters
Spain has transferred to Tunisia some of its idle fishermen who were forced to cease activities after failure to renew the Morocco-EU fisheries agreement that expired in November 1999. Morocco-European Union, Economics, 4/11/2001 - Kuwaiti parliament discuss the existence of Israeli products in the Kuwaiti market
The Kuwaiti nation's council ( parliament) on Monday discussed the existence of commodities in the Kuwaiti markets imported from Israel. Kuwait-Israel, Economics, 4/11/2001 - LE 2300 million in next Budget for youth jobs in all governorates
In his comment on the government policy statement reply committee, Prime Minister Atef Ebeid told the People's Assembly yesterday that for the first time in a span of twenty years, a sum of LE 2300 million would be earmarked for providing job opportunities for youths, of which LE 1300 million in the general budget and LE 1000 million in the budget of the Social Fund for Development. Egypt, Economics, 4/10/2001 - Morocco, Jordan Set up Business Council Morocco-Jordan, Economics, 4/10/2001
- Austria to increase its imports of Iraqi crude oil
The trade chancellor at the Austrian embassy in Baghdad Franz Shreodher said on Monday that Austria wants to increase its imports of crude oil from Iraq, according to the oil-for-food agreement with the UN. Iraq-Austria, Economics, 4/10/2001 - European Investment Bank extends two soft loans to Egypt
The European Investment bank offered Egypt with two soft loans worth 36 million euros. Egypt-European Union, Economics, 4/10/2001 - Best way for successful economic summit
The anticipated gathering aims at boosting inter-Arab trading so as to rise from 8.5 % up to 20 % over the five coming years. The financing funds are to be reactivated, particularly in regard to the vital exportable goods. Experts consider the expected Cairo economic summit an important step towards setting up the Arab common market. Regional, Economics, 4/9/2001 - Direct telephone contacts between Egypt, Sudan
The Sudanese daily al-Rai al-Am issued on Sunday said that the Egyptian authorities have permitted direct telephone contacts between Egypt and Sudan. Egypt-Sudan, Economics, 4/9/2001 - New budget maintains increments, increases pensions, provides 700,000 job opportunities
At an expanded meeting at the Presidential Cabinet attended by Prime Minister Atef Ebeid and a large number of ministers, President Mubarak reviewed the main aspects of the draft state general budget for the year 2001-2002. Egypt, Economics, 4/9/2001 - Palestinian economy losses $ 2 billion because of the Israeli siege Palestine-Israel, Economics, 4/9/2001
- Israel to invest Turkish river for 40 years Israel-Turkey, Economics, 4/9/2001
- Oil excavations in Sudan
The Sudanese ministry of energy have started negotiations with Russian and Japanese companies for oil exploration in various areas of Sudan, especially in the northern areas and the red sea. Sudan, Economics, 4/9/2001 - Damascus hosts METAP 's National Focal Points Meeting
They said that there is a need to integrate water quality into overall water resources management, indicating that METAP partners and countries have endorsed water quality management as a priority. Regional, Economics, 4/9/2001 - No plans to connect Israeli Electricity grid to Arab unified network
The Minister underlined that the Arab linkage plan for electricity network with European and Middle Eastern neighbouring countries is due to be completed next year, but does not include any projects for linkage with Israel. Regional-Israel, Economics, 4/9/2001 - Moroccan-Canadian talks over new information technologies
Morocco's secretary of state for posts and telecoms and information technologies, Nasre Hajji, is starting this Monday a five-day visit to Canada. Morocco-Canada, Economics, 4/9/2001 - Moroccan Business Delegation Prospecting Opportunities in Saudi Arabia Saudi Arabia-Morocco, Economics, 4/9/2001