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West Asia

The politics of business
11-Jun-2006 Zawya
David Hamod, president and CEO of the National US Arab Chamber of Commerce, speaks about US-Arab trade relations
US forum focuses on ways trade can produce political effects in Mideast
6-May-2006
The importance of trade as a vehicle that can also produce significant political effects was the focus of a Cato Institute briefing on Capitol Hill entitled "Building Foundations for Freedom, Commerce and Peace in the Middle East."
Free trade agreements: The quiet economic track of US Middle East policy
13-Feb-2006 Washington Institute
Since the invasion of Iraq in 2003, the Bush administration has placed democratization and reform in the Middle East at the top of its agenda. While press reports have focused on political developments, another key component to the American strategy entails encouraging economic growth, modernization, and liberalization throughout the region.
US ’Big Brother’ attitude in FTAs draws criticism
17-Nov-2005
Arabs attending a conference in Bahrain blasted yesterday Washington’s "Big Brother" attitude in bilateral Free Trade Agreements, saying they are political tools to serve US interests rather than enhance economic prosperity in the region.
US exports to Arab nations may touch new highs
8-Nov-2005 MENAFN
With many Arab nations going ahead with their plans to sign free-trade agreements (FTAs) with the US, trade and industry associations are projecting extraordinary growth in US exports to the Arab world in the years to come.
Dubai free zones face regional competition
5-Nov-2005 Khaleej Times
Though many regional free zones have been around since the early 1980’s, only recently has the free zone frenzy emerged, coinciding with countries developing free trade agreements (FTA) with their neighbours and others wanting to become members of the WTO.
Islamic common market proposed
4-Oct-2005 AFP
The first World Islamic Economic Forum yesterday called for the establishment of an Islamic common market and floated a series of initiatives to boost business cooperation amongst Muslim nations.
US Middle East economic policy: Are trade-based initiatives an effective tool in the war on terrorism?
19-Aug-2005 Center for Contemporary Conflict
An assessment published by a US military research outfit.
Free trade deal with US hinges on RP agricultural sector proposal
18-Jul-2005 Manila Bulletin
The likelihood of forging the US-Philippines free trade agreement (FTA) largely hinges on the Philippine agricultural sector in folding into the proposal.
Current developments and trends in the field of intellectual property: implications for Arab countries
28-Jun-2005 ICTSD
Developments relating to protection of IP in Arab countries have, in general, received less attention from stakeholders, particularly civil society, than in other developing countries of Africa, Asia and Latin America. In this connection, the aim of this paper is to stress the need for Arab countries to adopt a more development-oriented perspective on IP protection.
Brazil’s Lula, aiming to boost trade with Arabs, hosts summit
11-May-2005 Bloomberg
Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva opens an Arab-Latin American summit today aimed at increasing commerce between the two regions as he seeks to reduce developing nations’ dependence on the U.S. and European Union.
Tuzmen: We will complete signing of FTA with Arab countries
8-May-2005
Turkish State Minister Kursad Tuzmen said on Thursday, "we will complete signing of free trade agreement (FTA) with Arab countries in a vast area from Morocco to Syria in the next few years."
Changing minds
5-May-2005
Rachid Mohamed Rachid, appointed to the industry and foreign trade portfolio last July, speaks to Al-Ahram Weekly about his efforts to reinvigorate the industrial sector and to integrate Egypt more fully into the global economy.
From TRIPS-minus to TRIPS to TRIPS-plus: Implications of IPRs for the Arab world
1-May-2005
This article sheds light on the evolution of free trade agreements (FTAs) and the IPR protection incorporated within such agreements. The emphasis will be on the latest free trade and investment agreements concluded between the United States and the European Union (EU) with the Arab world and their “TRIPS-Plus” nature.
United States pursues more free-trade agreements in the Middle East
26-Apr-2005 Daily Star
Trying to entrench its economic and political ties in the region, and blaming the Gulf Cooperation Council’s slowness in devising region-wide economic measures, the United States is aggressively pursuing a number of free-trade agreements in this part of the Middle East.
US investment in the Middle East at approximately US$90 billion
4-Apr-2005 Dar Al-Hayat
Mr. William Lash, U.S. Assistant Secretary of Commerce, stated to Al-Hayat that "the amount of American investments in the Middle East has reached $90 Billion Dollars". He also revealed that the "American private sector investments in Qatar reached three billion dollars while the rate of trade exchange with Qatar is $800 million dollars."
Mideast building trade ties with US
29-Mar-2005 LA Times
The Bush administration’s plan: to negotiate a series of trade agreements that would eventually fuse one of the world’s most economically and politically unstable regions into a giant free-trade zone.
Speeding free trade
17-Mar-2005 Oxford Business Group
Washington wants to sign Free Trade Agreements with every country in the Middle East - North Africa region by 2013, to promote economic and political development in line with recommendations made by the 9/11 Commission.
Middle East Free Trade Area: progress report
25-Feb-2005 US Embassy Italy
Since the Bush Administration first announced its trade initiative, it has made substantial progress in working with MEFTA entities to develop TIFAs, BITs, and FTAs.
Pumping for Mideast business
20-Jan-2005 Forbes
While the media and the public focus on the deadly turmoil in Iraq, business lobbyists have turned their attention to another side of the fragile Middle East region.