Dubai Sponsors USD 3bn Airports Finance Deal

Dubai to Enable Passenger Traffic Target of 146m by 2025;

New Al Maktoum International Airport Set to be Primary Airport for Dubai, and Home to Emirates Airline from 2025

Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Dubai’s two international airports are set for a capacity-boosting, capex-fueled expansion that will enable them to serve up to 146m passengers by 2025, due in large part to a proposed initial USD 3bn financing transaction announced today by its government.

Already, Dubai International Airport (DXB) is the world’s largest international airport at 78m passengers in 2015, with a 13% average compound annual growth rate since 2000.  The new Al Maktoum International Airport (DWC) is planned to become the primary airport for Dubai, as well as the home to Emirates Airline from 2025.

“Dubai remains firmly committed to the development of the Al Maktoum International Airport and to the growth of the global aviation sector, and this initial USD 3bn transaction to support Dubai’s ambitious 2025 passenger capacity targets is testament to our belief,” said H.H. Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman of Dubai’s Supreme Fiscal Committee.

“In line with Dubai’s vision to maintain its status as one of the world’s most important cultural and commercial centres, the planned expansion of both of the city’s airports is critically important, and our department is proud to play a vital role in their ongoing financing, just as we have with other similarly major projects,” said Abdulrahman Saleh Al Saleh, Director General, Department of Finance for the Government of Dubai (DOF).

Under the proposed financing arrangement, coordinated by DOF, Investment Corporation of Dubai (ICD) and Dubai Aviation City Corporation (DACC), the three parties will work jointly to raise financing from various liquidity sources, both conventional and Islamic. HSBC is acting as Financial Advisor.

دعماً لهدف الوصول إلى 146 مليون مسافر سنوياً عبر مطارات دبي بحلول 2025

حكومة دبي ترعى صفقة تمويل لمطار آل مكتوم بثلاثة مليارات دولار

"آل مكتوم الدولي" في 2025 مطاراً رئيسياً للإمارة ومقراً لطيران الإمارات

دبي، دولة الإمارات العربية المتحدة

أعلنت اليوم حكومة دبي عن رعايتها تمويلاً أولياً يرمي إلى تعزيز القدرة الاستيعابية لمطار آل مكتوم الدولي، تبلغ قيمته ثلاثة مليارات دولار. وقالت الحكومة إن هذا التمويل يجعل كلاً من مطار دبي الدولي ومطار آل مكتوم الدولي مهيّأين لتحقيق نمو كبير في القدرة الاستيعابية للمسافرين، بفضل التوسع المرتقب في النفقات الرأسمالية، الذي سوف يمكّن المطارين الدوليين مجتمعين من خدمة ما يصل إلى 146 مليون مسافر سنوياً بحلول العام 2025.

وبهذه المناسبة، أكّد سمو الشيخ أحمد بن سعيد آل مكتوم، رئيس اللجنة العليا للسياسة المالية بدبي، التزام دبي الثابت بتطوير مطار آل مكتوم الدولي ومساهمتها الجادّة والفعالة في نمو قطاع الطيران العالمي، قائلاً إن التمويل البالغة قيمته ثلاثة مليارات دولار "يدعم طموحات دبي في زيادة القدرة الاستيعابية لمطاراتها ويصبُّ في تحقيق رؤيتنا لمستقبل الطيران في الإمارة".

من جانبه، لفت عبدالرحمن صالح آل صالح، المدير العام لدائرة المالية بحكومة دبي، إلى الأهمية الكبيرة التي تحظى بها التوسعة المزمع تنفيذها في مطار آل مكتوم الدولي، مؤكّداً أنها تتماشى مع رؤية دبي الرامية إلى تعزيز مكانتها كأحد أهمّ المراكز السياحية والتجارية والثقافية في العالم، وقال: "تفخر دائرة المالية بتأدية الدور الحيوي المناط بها في تمويل التوسِعات التي يشهدها مطارا آل مكتوم ودبي الدوليين، وذلك في سياق حرصنا الدائم على تعزيز نمو دبي من خلال دعم عمليات التمويل اللازمة لإقامة مشاريع البنية التحتية الحيوية في الإمارة".

ويُعتبر مطار دبي الدولي من جانبه أكبر مطار للمسافرين الدوليين في العالم، بسِعة وصلت في العام 2015 إلى 78 مليون مسافر، وقد استطاع هذا المطار تحقيق معدل نمو سنوي مركّب قدره 13 بالمئة منذ العام 2000. أما مطار آل مكتوم الدولي فيُنتظر أن يُصبح المطار الرئيسي لإمارة دبي ومقراً لشركة طيران الإمارات، بحلول العام 2025.

تجدر الإشارة إلى أن كلاً من دائرة المالية بحكومة دبي، ومؤسسة دبي للاستثمار، ومؤسسة مدينة دبي للطيران، سوف تضافر جهودها تحت مظلة اتفاقية التمويل المقترحة للحصول على التمويل من مختلف مصادره، سواءالتقليدية أو الإسلامية. ويلعب دور المستشار المالي في ترتيب هذا التمويل بنك "إتش إس بي سي".

Accounting meets Tech: the Benefits of Cloud Accounting Software for Small & Medium Businesses

Cloud accounting solutions make compliance and admin easier so that you can focus on what really matters – growing your business and meeting customer expectations

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LAGOS, Nigeria, November 1, 2016/APO/ -- 

Sound bookkeeping is essential for a business’s financial well-being, which is why cloud accounting solutions have an invaluable role to play in helping Nigerian entrepreneurs to grow their businesses.

That’s the word from Nikki Summers, Director, Sage One in East and West Africa, which is sponsoring and presenting at the BusinessDay SME Market Access Forum in Lagos, Nigeria. Summers says that Nigeria’s 37 million Small & Medium Businesses (APO.af/qjmnWw) need to keep accurate records to meet the needs of tax authorities as well as to keep track of trends within their own businesses.

They also need to automate processes like issuing quotes and invoices so that they can save costs, present a professional face to customers and free up time for tasks that add value to the business. “As a business owner, you need to focus on things that really give you a competitive edge, like innovation and customer service. You can’t afford to waste time worrying about your books. That’s where affordable online accounting solutions such as Sage One come in – they make accounting easy for non-accountants,” Summers adds.

“Cloud solutions give you and your employees fast, secure access to their small business accounting from anywhere at any time, so you can control your business from the palm of your hand. You can connect your accountant and other people in your business with real-time and intuitive information. Up-to-the minute reporting also means you always know exactly how the business is performing and means you can make educated decisions based on that insight”.

Moving to the cloud is an opportunity to transform your business and succeed in Nigeria’s competitive economy

A changing world

While at some point in time, these benefits may have been seen as mere conveniences and ‘nice to haves’; they’ve become increasingly important as entrepreneurs respond to more demanding customers, tougher regulation and growing economic pressure, notes Summers. Cloud accounting solutions make compliance and admin easier so that you can focus on what really matters – growing your business and meeting customer expectations.

Some of the benefits of using online accounting software include the following:

• Access to financial information wherever you are: Your employees and accountant can access financial information anywhere, from a notebook or a mobile app. That means you can sign off invoices or look up information even if you are not at your desk.

• Simple access to world-class software: You don’t even need to worry about installing software on your PCs, updating to new releases or backing up data. You simply access the software through an app or a web browser – the service provider takes care of updates, backups and security.

• Affordability: Rather than paying upfront for your solution, you pay a small monthly fee to use it. That means that you don’t need to spend your capital on software licences. What’s more, you probably won’t need help from an IT guy to install and manage the software, which will save you money.

• Real time financial information: A robust online accounting solution will give you and your business up-to-date and current financial information. This will enable you to see at a glance how well your business is performing and if there are any worrying financial trends.

• Localised solutions: Nikki Summers says that you should seek out cloud software that is localised for the needs of the Nigerian market. Your accounting software should enable you to do your tax calculations with a push of a button, saving you time, stress and helping you to stay on the right side of the tax authorities.

“Moving to the cloud is an opportunity to transform your business and succeed in Nigeria’s competitive economy,” concludes Summers. “By automating business process, you can keep costs low, become better at managing cash flow and streamline compliance.”

Distributed by APO on behalf of Sage.

du Q3 2016 Revenue Rises 2.9% to AED 3.14 Billion

Increase in Q3 postpaid mobile subscribers highlights “quality growth” strategy

Dubai, 01 November 2016 – Emirates Integrated Telecommunications Company PJSC (“du”) today published its financial results for the third quarter of 2016 showing a 2.9% rise in revenue to AED 3.14 billion. Net profit before royalty rose 2.4% to AED 995.1 million.

Financial Highlights:

·         Revenue for the quarter grew to AED 3.14 billion, a 2.9% increase compared to Q3 2015 (AED 3.05 billion). Year to date, revenue is up by 1.1% compared to the nine months to 30 September 2015.

·         EBITDA was steady at AED 1.38 billion versus Q3 2015 (AED 1.38 billion) and up 2.6% year to date compared to 2015.

·         Net profit for the quarter before royalty grew 2.4% to AED 995.1 million compared to Q3 2015 (AED 971.7 million). Net profit before royalty is up 3.9% to AED 2.99 billion year to date compared to 2015.  

·         Net profit after royalty stood at AED 457.2 million, down from AED 489.8 million in 2015 due to an increase in year-on-year royalty of 11.6%.

Q3 Revenue Breakdown:

·         Mobile revenue totaled AED 2.22 billion, a 2.7% increase on 2015 (AED 2.16 billion)

·         Mobile data revenue was largely flat at AED 737.3 million versus 2015 (AED 741.8 million)

·         Fixed revenue increased 3.7% to AED 681.1 million compared to 2015 (AED 656.8 million)

·         Mobile data now represents 33% of mobile service revenues compared to 2015 (32.9%)

Commenting on the results, Osman Sultan, du’s Chief Executive Officer, said:

“Our consistent focus on improving the entire customer experience, while providing the right mix of products and services to the market, has resulted in a steady performance during the quarter. Revenue and EBITDA remain at healthy levels and free cash flow is robust, despite an increase in the amount of royalty paid to the government. A 10.9% increase in postpaid mobile customers during the quarter shows our commitment to ‘quality’ growth remains intact.  

“du is an enabler of the economic development of the UAE as well as a facilitator of communication between the Emirates and the rest of the world. We are proud to support residents and citizens of the UAE, as well as those who travel here, to communicate with each other and their families as well as do business. This quarter, du reduced roaming rates during Hajj, expanded its retail network and continued to create innovative tools for business customers with the launch of du’s Enterprise Mobility Management Solutions.

“As demand for digital services and data continues to grow significantly, the challenge for the entire telecommunications industry is finding ways to better monetise this structural shift. Nevertheless, as we move towards becoming a truly integrated digital enabler, we remain focused on delivering more innovative data solutions for our customers and continue to see data and digital services, as well as managed services, as key areas of growth for our business.

“In this fast-evolving digital world we continue to align our business with the UAE’s Smart Government initiative in accordance with Vision 2021. As a strategic partner we are particularly excited to help promote the smart future agenda, and through new-to-market innovation we have a prominent role to play in establishing Dubai as the Smartest City of the future.”

ITIDA concludes successful participation in GITEX 2016 with USD 2.1 million worth of deals

·        Strategic partnership between Nilecode & Al Quiyadia to establish SAR 50 million regional company

·        Egyptian IT market to reach USD 10.9 billion by 2019 with signing of new deals

·        Bilateral meetings with international & regional firms to explore opportunities in Egypt’s new Technology Parks & Innovation Clusters

November 1, 2016

The Information Technology Industry Development Agency (ITIDA), the executive IT arm of Egypt’s Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (MCIT), concluded its successful participation in the 36^th edition of GITEX Technology Week, the largest technology exchange and marketplace for Middle East and Africa held recently in Dubai. Its presence in the annual ICT event enabled Egyptian technology firms participating under its umbrella to seal investment and expect business deals worth USD 2.1 million. The new contracts and anticipated sales will boost Egypt’s ICT market, which is expected to record a sales volume worth USD 10 billion by the end of this year, according to the latest statistics from International Data Corporation (IDC).

The first announcement made at ITIDA’s GITEX 2016 pavilion was by technology solutions company OGTech about its expansions in the GCC market and opening of a new branch in Dubai to offer services to clients in the UAE from both public and private sectors, following the success of its first regional branch in Qatar.

Egyptian start-ups, on the other hand, attracted large numbers of visitors, drawing the interest of 130 elite investors as well as regional and international businesspersons to discuss strategic partnerships and contract opportunities. The outcome was the signing of a number of acquisition agreements and capital raising leads with the eight Egyptian companies participating under the umbrella of ITIDA.

A series of contracts and expected partnership deals forged at ITIDA’s pavilion is expected to boost the sales volume of Egyptian companies specialized in ICT services and products. Nilecode, an Egyptian software design and development firm, has entered a strategic partnership with the Al Quiyadia Saudi Group of companies with branches in Egypt, Dubai and Saudi Arabia, to establish ‘Integrated Development Company’ with a business volume estimated to be around SAR 50 million. The GCC’s rapid expansion complements Egypt’s ICT sector which is preparing to record a growth rate of USD 10.9 billion by 2019, coming largely from IT services and software packages that will see a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of about 9 per cent by 2019.

Asmaa Hosni, CEO, ITIDA, said: “We commend the efforts of our people in signing a new strategic partnership agreement with the Al Quiyadia Saudi Group of companies. It is a step towards strengthening the presence of one of the leading Egyptian companies withithe GCC market to provide better services to its clients through a qualified team of professionals and per the highest international standards and professional training programs. The move is in line with ITIDA’s commitment to implement a blend of specialized programs and initiatives geared to meet the industry’s needs for a high-skilled workforce.”

“The strategic partnership and other accomplishments are part of ITIDA’s objectives and strategy to create opportunities for collaboration, increase the export of Egyptian IT products and services, promote investment, and open up new markets. This will be achieved by working with local companies to sponsor their participation in international exhibitions and conferences so that they can gain maximum benefit from IT-related events. We look forward with confidence and optimism to the deals signed during GITEX Technology Week, reaffirming our ongoing commitment to support Egyptian companies in building a strong presence within the promising regional markets,” added Hosni.

Mohammed bin Hamad Al Ajami, CEO, Al Quiyadia Saudi Group of companies, said: “We have signed the agreement with the Egyptian party because of our trust in their technical capability and qualified professionals. We aim to optimally benefit from their very promising technology solutions. We strongly believe that our partnership will support the industries and the economies of both countries and further integrate the IT sectors of Egypt and Arab countries. We, at Al Quiyadia are very keen to invest in training labs, innovative ideas, and start-ups in Egypt’s new technology parks and take advantage of the creative products and solutions offered by companies there to achieve our goals.”

ITIDA’s agenda for GITEX Technology Week 2016 included meetings with Egyptian companies participating under its umbrella on onhand, and a number of leading multinational companies on the other. The Agency’s representatives and officials met a high-level delegation from the Irish company Davra Networks to shed light on the competitive advantages of Egypt in the field of ICT as well as highlight incentives provided to encourage foreign investments into the local market. Investment and business opportunities offered by the Egyptian IT sector as well as cooperative, partnership and investment prospects in the projects of the new technology parks were discussed as well  Davra Networks’ delegates expressed their desire to initiate fruitful joint ventures with ITIDA that meet the aspirations of both sides.

ITIDA officials also met representatives from EMC, a leading provider of IT storage hardware solutions, who reiterated their intention for cooperation in providing cutting-edge technological platforms for free to encourage Egyptian entrepreneurs to participate in Egypt’s Innovation Clusters’ initiative. In another meeting with the tech giant IBM, it’s agreed that the company will eye new opportunities in the local market by expanding its centre of excellence in Cairo to one of the new tech parks, in addition to availing its Bluemix platform for free to the Egyptian entrepreneurs and tech start-ups. In addition, Emaratech, a leading Dubai-based technology and consulting company, expressed its interest in establishing a call centre in Egypt in coordination with ITIDA to serve its customers from international banks.

Lastly, the meeting with officials from Oracle Corporation has resulted in the establishment of a regional centre for cloud computing in one of Egypt’s new Tech Parks to explore further expansion opportunities. In addition, there was an agreement with Belgium-based Oddo, a suite of open source business apps, to train Egyptians in providing technical support services as well as to give them priority while recruiting for its partner companies in Egypt.   ITIDA has been sponsoring the participation of Egyptian companies in GITEX Technology Week for 11 consecutive years. For the latest edition, it extended its support to 29 organizations. It has adopted a number of criteria for selecting companies to participate under its umbrella, including the firm’s expertise in the local market, compatibility of its business with the event’s theme, its export capacities, availability of quality certificates, and its official representation in the event. ITIDA also reviews each prospective company’s compatibility with its strategy as well its extent of participation in industry and its export development programs.

ITIDA continues to drive Egypt’s ICT sector, the country’s second largest economic contributor, in terms of growth. It also extends support to the government’s efforts to further spread technology especially within the government and other vital sectors in order to strengthen both economic and social development. The Egyptian Government’s ICT sector strategy aims to increase the industry’s contribution to the national GDP from EGP 52 billion in 2014 to EGP 70.2 billion by 2020 and create up to 300,000 direct and indirect job opportunities within the next few years.

  

MENA & SSA Inter-regional Business Activity Reach Peak Levels in Last 10 Years

• UAE accounted for largest share with 33% of total deals by MENA companies in SSA
• South Africa constituted the main target for acquisitions by MENA companies
• Total cross-border M&A deals between MENA and SSA totals $24 billion in 10 years

DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES: 1 November 2016 – Total trade of goods between Middle East and North Africa (MENA) and Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) reached peak levels during recent years, having progressed at a pronounced pace. According to a report released by Thomson Reuters at the Thomson Reuters Africa Trading Summit, this trend has further entrenched the complementarity between the production and trading ecosystems of both regions and sets the floor for steady potential ahead.

During the past ten years, selected countries have been the key drivers behind the development of trade between SSA and MENA. Geographies such as UAE, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Kenya, Nigeria and Ethiopia account for the lion’s share of the flow of goods between both directions.

According to data gathered from Thomson Reuters Eikon, a small number of MENA countries have been key drivers behind the increased acquisitions activity in SSA. During the period 2005-9m2016, South Africa constituted the main target geography for acquisitions by MENA companies with 21 deals or a share of 18% of the total, followed by Sudan 19 deals, Ivory Coast 11 deals and Nigeria 7 deals. In terms of acquiring countries, UAE accounted for the largest share with 33% of total deals by MENA companies in SSA, followed by Morocco 24% and Egypt 12%.

Nadim Najjar, Managing Director, MENA, Thomson Reuters, said: “MEAN and SSA have substantially evolved during the past decade, driven by strong economic development, superior demographics and mutual agreements that laid foundations for a larger potential ahead. Such trend is bolstering, over the long-term, the inter-regional economic ties where goods & capital are mutually serving the strategic interests of both regions. Within this context, business synergies are materializing under the form of companies expanding cross-border through their product offerings and though merger & acquisition strategies.”

“As MENA and SSA further their long-term sustainable economic development, businesses in both regions are tackling hefty investment opportunities in a large number of geographies and niche sectors. Add to this, governments are aggressively reforming in order to promote business-friendly environments and attract local and foreign capital,” Najjar added.

Deal activity has been on the rise during recent years between MENA and SSA regions, indicating increased business synergies between the operating corporates. Based on data gathered from Thomson Reuters Eikon, total cross-border M&A deals between MENA and SSA cumulated, during the past decade (2005-9m2016), to around 149 deals for an estimated value of no less than $24 bn. When compared to all deals by foreign companies in MENA and SSA, these figures represent a steady share of around 5%.

MENA companies are relatively more active in investing into Africa. Total number of M&As by MENA in SSA remained constantly elevated, totaling 119 during 2005-9m2016 versus only 30 from SSA in MENA. This pinpoints to the traction found by MENA-based corporates in opportunities offered by African countries.

Furthermore, MENA companies have been increasingly allocating their funds towards Africa as opposed to other parts of the World. During the past 5 years, the share of SSA in their global deals rose from 8% in 2010 to 11% in 2015. This is compared to SSA firms allocating less than 8% of their global deals to MENA.

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التجارة الإقليمية البينية لمنطقة الشرق الأوسط وشمال أفريقيا مع دول أفريقيا جنوب الصحراء تصل إلى أعلى مستوياتها خلال السنوات العشر الماضية

• الإمارات العربية المتحدة تستحوذ على أكبر حصة بنسبة 33% من إجمالي صفقات شركات الشرق الأوسط وشمال أفريقيا في بلدان أفريقيا جنوب الصحراء الكبرى
•  جنوب أفريقيا تمثل الهدف الرئيسي لصفقات الاستحواذ من قبل شركات الشرق الأوسط وشمال أفريقيا
•  إجمالي صفقات الاندماج والاستحواذ العابرة للحدود بين منطقة الشرق الأوسط وشمال أفريقيا ودول أفريقيا جنوب الصحراء الكبرى تبلغ 24 مليار دولار خلال 10 سنوات

دبي، الإمارات العربية المتحدة، 1  نوفمبر 2016:

وصل إجمالي حجم تجارة السلع بين دول الشرق الأوسط وشمال أفريقيا وبلدان أفريقيا جنوب الصحراء الكبرى إلى مستويات قياسية خلال السنوات الأخيرة، حيث سجل ارتفاعاً ملحوظاً خلال الفترة المذكورة. ووفقاً لتقرير صادر عن "تومسون رويترز"  فإن هذا الاتجاه يرسخ أوجه التكامل بين النظم الإيكولوجية للإنتاج والتجارة في كل من المنطقتين ويضع أرضية لتثبيت القدرات في المستقبل.

خلال السنوات العشر الماضية، مثلت بعض البلدان المنتقاة الدوافع الرئيسية وراء تطوير التجارة بين منطقتي أفريقيا جنوب الصحراء الكبرى والشرق الأوسط. بلدان مثل الإمارات العربية المتحدة والمملكة العربية السعودية وجنوب أفريقيا وكينيا ونيجيريا وإثيوبيا استحوذت على حصة الأسد من حركة تدفق السلع بين كلا الجانبين.

وبحسب بيانات تم جمعها من "تومسون رويترز أيكون"، فإن عدداً قليلاً من دول الشرق الأوسط وشمال أفريقيا شكلت دوافع رئيسية وراء النشاط المتزايد لصفقات الاستحواذ في منطقة أفريقيا جنوب الصحراء. وخلال الفترة الممتدة من بداية عام 2005 وحتى نهاية الأشهر التسعة الأولى من العام الجاري، شكلت جنوب أفريقيا الوجهة الرئيسية المستهدفة للاستحواذات من قبل شركات الشرق الأوسط، مسجلة 21 صفقة، أي بحصة قدرها 18% من إجمالي الصفقات، تلتها السودان بـ 19 صفقة، وساحل العاج بـ 11 صفقة ونيجيريا بـ 7 صفقات. وفيما يتعلق بالدول الأكثر تنفيذاً لصفقات الاستحواذ، فقد تصدرتها الإمارات العربية المتحدة بحصة بلغت 33% من إجمالي صفقات شركات الشرق الأوسط وشمال أفريقيا في بلدان أفريقيا جنوب الصحراء الكبرى، تليها المغرب بحصة 24%، ثم مصر بحصة 12%.

وقال نديم نجار مدير عام “تومسون رويترز” في منطقة الشرق الأوسط وشمال أفريقيا: "شهدت منطقتا أفريقيا جنوب الصحراء الكبرى والشرق الأوسط وشمال أفريقيا تطوراَ ملحوظاً خلال العقد الماضي، مدفوعاً بالتنمية الاقتصادية المتينة، والتركيبة السكانية المتزايدة والاتفاقات الثنائية التي وضعت الأسس لتعزيز القدرات في المستقبل. وهذا الاتجاه الحالي يدعم، على المدى الطويل، العلاقات الاقتصادية بين الأقاليم حيث تخدم حركة البضائع ورؤوس الأموال المتبادلة المصالح الاستراتيجية لكلا المنطقتين. وفي هذا السياق، تضافر الأعمال يتجسد بتوسع الشركات عبر الحدود من خلال ترويج منتجاتها على الرغم من استراتيجيات الاندماج والاستحواذ".

وأضاف نجار: "في الوقت الذي تعزز فيه منطقتا الشرق الأوسط وأفريقيا جنوب الصحراء الكبرى التنمية الاقتصادية المستدامة على المدى الطويل، فإن الشركات في كلا المنطقتين تقتنص الفرص الاستثمارية الضخمة في عدد كبير من الدول والقطاعات المتخصصة. إضافة إلى ذلك، تقوم الحكومات بعمليات إصلاح واسعة من أجل تعزيز البيئات الملائمة لقطاع الأعمال وجذب رؤوس الأموال المحلية والأجنبية".

وسجل نشاط الصفقات بين منطقتي الشرق الأوسط وشمال أفريقيا من جهة، وبلدان أفريقيا جنوب الصحراء من جهة أخرى، ارتفاعاً خلال السنوات الأخيرة، ما يدل على زيادة التعاون التجاري بين الشركات العاملة. واستناداً إلى البيانات التي تم جمعها من قبل "تومسون رويترز إيكون" فإن إجمالي صفقات الاستحواذ والاندماج العابرة للحدود بين منطقتي الشرق الأوسط وأفريقيا جنوب الصحراء الكبرى، خلال العقد الماضي (من بداية 2005 إلى نهاية سبتمبر 2016)، بلغ نحو 149 صفقة تقدر قيمتها بأكثر من 24 مليار دولار. ومقارنة مع جميع الصفقات من قبل الشركات الأجنبية في منطقة الشرق الأوسط وشمال أفريقيا ودول أفريقيا جنوب الصحراء، تمثل هذه الأرقام على حصة ثابتة تبلغ نحو 5 في المئة.

وتعتبر شركات الشرق الأوسط وشمال أفريقيا الأكثر نشاطاً نسبياً من حيث الاستثمار في أفريقيا. وحافظ عدد صفقات الاندماج والاستحواذ المنفذة من قبل شركات الشرق الأوسط وشمال أفريقيا في منطقة أفريقيا جنوب الصحراء الكبرى على ارتفاعه المستمر، حيث بلغ مجموعها 119 صفقة خلال الفترة الممتدة منذ بداية 2005 وحتى نهاية سبتمبر من العام الجاري، مقابل 30 صفقة فقط نفذتها شركات من أفريقيا جنوب الصحراء الكبرى في منطقة الشرق الأوسط وشمال أفريقيا. وهذا يظهر بدقة مدى جاذبية الفرص الاستثمارية التي وجدتها الشركات التي تتخذ من منطقة الشرق الأوسط وشمال أفريقيا مقراً لها، في البلدان الأفريقية.

وبالإضافة إلى ذلك، خصصت شركات الشرق الأوسط وشمال أفريقيا على نحو متزايد حصة من رؤوس أموالها للاستثمار في أفريقيا مقارنة مع مناطق أخرى من العالم. وخلال السنوات الخمس الماضية، ارتفعت حصة دول أفريقيا جنوب الصحراء الكبرى من الصفقات العالمية لهذه الشركات من 8% في عام 2010 إلى 11% في عام 2015، أما شركات أفريقيا جنوب الصحراء الكبرى فرصدت أقل من 8% من صفقاتها العالمية لمنطقة الشرق الأوسط وشمال أفريقيا.