Arabic News Weekly Edition for Economics, 5/21/2001
Weekly Edition, Economics - Week of May 21, 2001
- Egypt Planning for liberalisation
The private sector must participate more effectively in economic planning if the nation's development goals are to be achieved, Egypt's Minister of Planning and International Cooperation Ahmed El-Darsh told Aziza Sami of Al-Ahram Weekly in an interview published recently. Egypt, Economics, 5/26/2001 - Mubarak priority to be given to Arab and foreign investments
Egyptian Prime Minister Atef Ebeid said President Hosni Mubarak called on the government to give priority to the Arab and foreign investments and promote the trade with G-15 meetings which will open in Jakarta this week. Egypt-Regional, Economics, 5/26/2001 - UK textiles supplier opens warehouse and plant in rabat
British industrial sewing thread specialist "Donisthorpe" opened on Friday a new warehouse and finishing plant in Oulja, industrial area near Rabat. Morocco-UK, Business, 5/26/2001 - Polish business delegation expected next week in Morocco Morocco-Poland, Economics, 5/26/2001
- Turkish- Israeli negotiations on waters failed Turkey-Israel, Economics, 5/26/2001
- Chinese business delegation launches project in Agadir port
A Chinese business delegation and Moroccan local authorities launched on Wednesday in the port of Agadir a project to build a warehouse for sea fisheries machinery and equipment. Morocco-China, Economics, 5/25/2001 - Morocco to support Senegal in telecom regulation
Morocco has pledged to help Senegal in reforming its telecom sector and setting up a telecom regulation agency, a Moroccan official announced. Morocco-Senegal, Economics, 5/25/2001 - Morocco, France agree to cooperate in youth training
Morocco and France signed in Rabat on Thursday an agreement providing for cooperation in youth professional training and a joint declaration in employment, vocational training, labor and social development. Morocco-France, Economics, 5/25/2001 - Both poor and rich nations lagging in efforts to end hunger, UN report warns
Both developing and developed countries have failed to demonstrate their commitment to set aside the resources required to achieve the eradication of hunger, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) said in a statement issued Thursday in Rome. Regional, Economics, 5/25/2001 - Morocco's electricity utility to service four production units in Senegal
General manager of Morocco's electricity office (ONE), Driss Benhima, announced in Dakar Thursday that ONE will transfer to Dakar and service four electricity production units, of 20 megawatts each. Morocco-Senegal, Economics, 5/25/2001 - Riad Seif criticizes the mobile project
Independent member of the Syrian parliament Riad Seif has renewed the "mobile" (cellular phone) project in Syria, considering that this project makes the Syrian government loose 346.8 billion Syrian pounds. The total sum gained by the contracting company of profits in the phase of its monopoly of this service in Syria. Syria, Economics, 5/24/2001 - Egypt promises to activate COMESA mechanism
Economy Minister Youssef Butros Ghali announced floating new Egyptian initiatives to activate inter-COMESA trade and cooperation. Egypt-Regional, Economics, 5/24/2001 - Andalusian government plans large joint venture with Moroccan fishing operators
The autonomous government of Andalusia is planning to set up a joint venture between Moroccan and Spanish fishing operators to open the way for the return of its traditional fishing fleet to Moroccan waters. Morocco-Spain, Economics, 5/24/2001 - 4 Gas export deals for $ 2.1 billion
Egyptian Minister of Petroleum Sameh Fahmi said yesterday that the General Egyptian Petroleum Corporation had signed four agreements to export natural gas and petrochemicals and was preparing to sign another five. Egypt, Economics, 5/24/2001 - Gigantic bridges join Sinai and Nile Valley
Two great projects are going to be inaugurated by next October. Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak will open the high suspending Suez Canal bridge that will connect the two banks of the canal. It will allow 4500 vehicles to cross at a speed of about 80 km per hour. By 2017 the number will rise up to 28000 vehicles crossing the bridge. Egypt, Economics, 5/24/2001 - COMESA leaders discuss report Secretary General
The COMESA Free Trade Area (FTA) is nothing to be feared as economic liberalization for Africa brings with it more opportunities than costs. Regional, Economics, 5/24/2001 - Cooperation agreement between Jordan, Kuwait Jordan-Kuwait, Economics, 5/23/2001
- Iraq, Syria for boosting trade, economic relations
Syrian minister of economy and foreign trade Muhammad al-Imadi on Tuesday in Baghdad announced that Syria and Iraq are discussing in meetings of the third session of the joint Syrian- Iraqi committee trade and economic relations between the two states. Iraq-Syria, Economics, 5/23/2001 - Economy in Yemen
The Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh on Tuesday stressed that Yemen's foreign debts have receded from $ 10 billion to $ 3 billion, thanks to the economic reforms program, applied by Sanaa since 1995. Yemen, Economics, 5/23/2001 - Plan to establish foreign trade centre to help promote exports
The government's policy to promote exports includes support of the private sector through the establishment of an Egyptian center for foreign trade in cooperation with Japanese institutions specialized in the promotion of foreign trade and training of exporters on the latest techniques used in marketing. Egypt, Economics, 5/23/2001 - Qatari gas for Kuwait and Bahrain
The Qatari minister of oil Abdullah Bin Hamad al-Ateyah has stated that the negotiations Qatar is making with both Kuwait and Bahrain to provide them with Gas in the framework of Dolphin project, recorded a progress. He added that Doha will provide Kuwaiti with 30 million cubic meters of gas daily within the course of a possible agreement to this end. Qatar-Regional, Economics, 5/23/2001 - 217 British firms invest in Egypt with total investments of $4b
London will host on June 18 and 19 an economic and trade conference for promoting investments in Egypt. The conference will be attended by a number of officials and businessmen in the two countries. Egypt-UK, Economics, 5/23/2001 - Turkish- Israeli cooperation
The Turkish daily al-Zamman ( the times) quoted the Turkish minister of state responsible for villages and rural areas affairs Mustafa Yalmaz as saying that the administration of the GAB project, to the Southern East of Turkey is technically cooperating with the government and private establishments in Israel in a way similar to its cooperation with other international cooperation. The Turkish minister denied any Israeli investment at this project at the meantime or for the long run. Turkey-Israel, Economics, 5/23/2001 - ADF Approves $ 12.65 Million in Loan for Mauritania
The Abidjan-based African Development Fund (ADF) has approved a loan of about $ 12.65 million to finance Mauritania's fiscal adjustment program, reports the panafrican news agency "PANA." Mauritania-Regional, Economics, 5/23/2001 - Mubarak inaugurates COMESA Summit
"Our target has been to reach economic integration among member-states and realize the aspirations of our peoples and all those of the African continent to create the African economic community, in implementation of the Abuja Agreement, 1991," elaborated Mubarak. Egypt-Regional, Economics, 5/22/2001 - Morocco, Argentina prospect business opportunities Morocco-Argentina, Economics, 5/22/2001
- French minister of employment visits Morocco wednesday Morocco-France, Economics, 5/22/2001
- Turkish waters sold for Israel Israel-Turkey, Economics, 5/22/2001
- Morocco, Korea sign accords on IT
Morocco and South Korea signed in Rabat Monday two accords on global cooperation programs in matters of new information and communication technologies. Morocco-South Korea, Economics, 5/22/2001 - India, Sudan to cooperate in post, telecom sector
India and Sudan Monday agreed to sign a Memorandum of Understanding for mutual cooperation in post and telecom sector Sudan-India, Economics, 5/22/2001 - Senegalese president expounds his Omega plan for Africa
The Senegalese president explained that the plan, examined by the UN commission on Africa at a recent meeting in Algiers, is likely to bring the African continent out of under-development and chronic indebtedness saying the novelty is that it does not ask for funds. Regional, Economics, 5/22/2001 - First stage investments Iin pertrochemicals amounts to $ 1.3 billion
Petroleum Minister Sameh Fahmy said that investments of the first stage of the national plan for the petrochemicals industry amounts to $ 1.3 billion. Egypt, Economics, 5/22/2001 - Al-Imadi to Baghdad today
At the invitation of the Iraqi minister of commerce Mahdi Saleh, the Syrian minister of the economy and foreign trade Muhammad al-Imadi will leave today for Iraq in an official visit to Baghdad which will last for three days during which he will preside over the Syrian side to the meetings of the Syrian- Iraqi joint committee. Syria-Iraq, Economics, 5/21/2001 - Islamic Development Bank gives 30 million dollars to Palestine
The Islamic Development Bank (IDB) announced it transferred US $30 million to the Palestinian Authority (PA), the second batch of a loan to back the PA's budget. Palestine-Regional, Economics, 5/21/2001 - Morocco gets loan to finance trade deals
The Abu-Dhabi based Arab trade financing program has extended Morocco a credit line worth $ 25 million destined to finance the kingdom's trade deals. Morocco-United Arab Emirates, Economics, 5/21/2001 - Transforming Egypt into IT exporting country
Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak's interest in the communications and IT sector is mainly designed to turn Egypt into a technology-exporting country, said Minister of Communications and IT Ahmed Nazif. Egypt, Economics, 5/21/2001 - International Finance Corporation investments in Egypt increase to LE 1.8 billion
The International Finance Corporation (IFC) has recently announced increasing its investments in Egypt to LE 1.8 billion (equivalent to $ 470 million) this year, making of Egypt the largest Mideast and African country and the tenth all over the world capable of attracting IFC investments. Egypt, Economics, 5/21/2001 - Qatar donates 60 vehicles for Lebanese internal security
the Qatari official held a meeting end of last week with Lebanese interior minister Elias Al-Murr and informed him that Qatar would donate Lebanon 60 vehicles to enhance internal security nationwide. Qatar-Lebanon, Economics, 5/21/2001 - Cairo summit set to boost inter-COMESA Trade
The Ministers were to probe four main issues in preparation for submitting them to the Summit. Assistant Foreign Minister for African Affairs Ibrahim Ali Hassan said on the conclusion of senior officials on Saturday, that the four issues would include activating free trade zone and expanding the membership in the region. Egypt-Regional, Economics, 5/21/2001