Fleming Gulf to launch its MENA Infrastructure Finance Forum

The current and projected levels of infrastructure developments are nothing short of spectacular! Such fascinating developments planned or underway has led to an enormous wave of financing and investing opportunities.

Zenab Husain, Senior Conference Producer at Fleming Gulf quotes "At a time when Middle East is experiencing unprecedented growth in infrastructure projects across the region, exploring different financing and investment vehicles has indeed become an absolute necessity for sustaining the economic growth. Most MENA countries need to face the financing of massive infrastructure investments. According to NBK, project financing needs for the period 2006 - 09 are estimated at over $400bn. In comparison the capital of the 18 largest banks in the GCC countries totals $37bn, meaning that not only will regional and local banks need to rise to the challenge through growth and (probably) concentration, but also that other forms of financing, namely equity financing, will have a strong opportunity to complement bank lending. Therefore, there lies an immense and emerging need for enhancing practical knowledge on assessing alternative financing routes to sustainable infrastructure funding."

In lights of the emerging challenges to ensure that there are financial resources and stability to support the spurring infrastructure growth, Fleming Gulf is proud to announce its inaugural event "MENA Infrastructure Finance Forum" scheduled for 24th -25th November '08 in Dubai (UAE) focussed on bringing together sponsors, developers, financiers and other interested parties to not only provide invaluable market analysis and intelligence but also highlight the challenges facing borrowers and lenders in financing major infrastructure projects across the region.

The conference will serve an unrivalled platform to explore the ways that institutions can best access the benefits of investing in infrastructure, with a special focus on opportunities arising from increasing global demand for infrastructure projects in sectors like Utilities (Power & Water), transport and real estate. It will also offer an analysis of the infrastructure finance market and examine the emerging role of PPP and Islamic finance in financing infrastructure.

Therefore, as the conference builds an open dialogue with the region's key market participants, we encourage you to join this foremost gathering to stay ahead of the curve and build strong industry relationships.