Emergia, Casa Arabe introduce advantages of Arab countries as business hubs

    Dumped value of 'ID':
'179183';

Dumped value of 'images_loop':
[
    {
        'caption' => '',
        'col' => 'picture',
        'name' => 'Emergia_logo.jpg',
        'url' => '/4/69394-Emergia_logo.jpg'
    }
];

These presentations launch Casa Arabe's book series with its first publication, 'Spanish Companies in Arab Countries: Investment and Triangulation Experiences', prepared by Emergia's senior partner, Dr. Jacinto Soler-Matutes.

The new book was commissioned by Casa Arabe, an institution under the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs that aims to strengthen links between Spain and Arab countries. The research contains a thorough description of recent economic developments in Arab countries, such as liberalization measures, oil price forecasts, diversification efforts, and rising regional financial integration. In addition, the book elaborates on the appealing concept of 'Triangulation', whereby certain Arab countries can be used as regional or global business hubs.

In the course of their research, Emergia conducted personal interviews with Spanish businesspeople with operations in Arab countries. An overwhelming majority of companies expressed their satisfaction with those markets, as well as short-term expansion plans. The 'Triangulation' concept was also confirmed in many cases, such as that of an electrical appliances company that uses Dubai as logistics platform for the Middle East (including Iran and Turkey) and India. Another Spanish company in automotive parts has transformed Morocco into its second-largest production base after China and the main source of supply for the US market. Additionally, one topic of increasing interest is that of Spanish service providers working for Gulf investors in the Maghreb. A Madrid-based engineering company, for instance, has provided services to Qatari and Emirian real estate developers in Morocco, Algeria and Libya.

After centuries of fruitful relations and a short-lived period of booming Arab investment in Spain in the 1980s, this book highlights the potential of new business models between Spain and Arab countries that should open the way to a new era of improved cooperation.