An article written by Alice Gomstyn and published in The Financialist of Credit Suisse on October 12th, 2016 elaborates on the fact that in 2016 investments in the emerging markets overtook those destined to the developed nations. Here is an extract.
In the years before the 2008 financial crisis, investors flocked to equities in fast-growing emerging economies. But when the crisis put the brakes on global growth, that attraction to emerging markets proved a fickle one, and investors sought safe haven in less risky investments. In late 2016, however, the pendulum is swinging back again, with investors citing several reasons for renewed confidence in emerging market equities. Among the most surprising? Their politics are relatively more stable than in the developed world.
Although, all notable investments cited in this article are located in the so-called BRICS countries, we would propose these 2 realisations in the MENA region that just got in its relatively stable spots, the fDi’s Global Free Zone of the Year for 2016; that could by the way turn to also quite attractive investments.
The fdi Intelligence published on October 10th, 2016 an article written this time by Cathy Mullan about the new ranking of all Global Free Zones of the Year 2016. We republish some excerpts of those MENA region related sites.
DMCC of Dubai win the overall title of fDi’s Global Free Zone of the Year for 2016, but the success stories are spread far and wide.
Global Winners : Winner – DMCC, United Arab Emirates
Triumphant for the second year running, United Arab Emirates’ DMCC has been crowned global winner of fDi’s Global Free Zones of the Year for 2016, also picking up the top award for the Middle East region. DMCC offers investors state-of-the-art office space in developments such as its glass box-style building, One JLT, and other developments that are custom-made for investing companies. It is comprised of 66 mixed-use towers, which include five hotels, 92 education establishments and 500 retail outlets, meaning companies from a wide range of industries and sectors call DMCC home, including Modul University Vienna, which has opened its first and only overseas campus in the zone.
Future development plans include the Burj 2020 district, which is part of DMCC’s smart city strategy. As part of its digital transformation strategy, all services have been put online, allowing investors to log on to any device anywhere across the globe to access its services. Setting up a business in the zone now takes just 15 days, down from 31, and business renewals are processed in just four days. All documents are digital, which means investors can get hold of relevant paperwork in hours.
In a further move to increase accessibility for investors, the DMCC Business Directory was launched in 2015, which enables all members to connect with each other to exchange goods and services, while an e-procurement portal allows companies to participate in tenders by or for the zone. As part of its ‘Knowledge Series’, a programme of lectures and professional development programmes are offered to DMCC members, including workshops, seminars, career fairs, tech training and exhibitions.
Regional Winners : Winner – Africa: Tanger Med Zones
Winner of both the African regional category and north African sub-regional category for a second year, Tanger Med Zones is home to hundreds of multinational companies, including Siemens, Renault and Yazaki. Located near the Strait of Gibraltar, the zone offers investors good access to maritime shipping routes only 14 kilometres from European markets. A new gate has been created solely to meet the logistics needs of investors, supporting a simplified flow of imports and exports. Investors in the automotive and textiles sectors in particular can benefit from a subsidy of 30% of total capital expenditure, while a new 1200-hectare park opening in Ain Daillia-Tangier will be dedicated to industry (aerospace, automotive, electronics and renewables specifically) and textiles. Its website allows users to have a virtual tour of the zone, while community exchanges connect suppliers and manufacturers. Gate access to the zone is now integrated into the IT infrastructure, allowing daily information on export turnover and an app for investors.
