EIB Allocates $482m to Back Moroccan Firms

The logo of the European Investment Bank is pictured in the city of Luxembourg, Luxembourg, March 25, 2017. Reuters/Eric Vidal
The logo of the European Investment Bank is pictured in the city of Luxembourg, Luxembourg, March 25, 2017. Reuters/Eric Vidal
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EIB Allocates $482m to Back Moroccan Firms

The logo of the European Investment Bank is pictured in the city of Luxembourg, Luxembourg, March 25, 2017. Reuters/Eric Vidal
The logo of the European Investment Bank is pictured in the city of Luxembourg, Luxembourg, March 25, 2017. Reuters/Eric Vidal

The European Investment Bank (EIB) Group has allocated USD482 million (EUR440 million) to back Moroccan firms in combating the novel global virus impact on liquidity.

Emma Navarro, vice-president of the bank, said in a press conference in Brussels that the EIB will mobilize existing lines of credit, whose outstanding amount to date is 440 million euros, to provide the necessary working capital to businesses.

She added that her institution has contacted, since the beginning of the crisis, its clients, both business leaders and project holders, to offer them its support during this very difficult period.

“We are relaxing our procedures. We are trying to adapt our tools and means of financing as best we can,” Navarro continued.

The EIB also stands ready to support the health system, in particular through the acquisition of medical equipment and the strengthening of health infrastructure, said Navarro, recalling that the Bank is already active in this area in Morocco, notably by financing the construction and modernization of 16 hospitals throughout the Kingdom.

“The partnership that binds us to Morocco is very strong, that is why this country will have our full attention for the duration of this pandemic in order to give it all the necessary support,” she affirmed.



Saudi Industry Minister Meets with French Industrial, Mining Executives 

The Saudi and French delegations meet on Wednesday. (SPA)
The Saudi and French delegations meet on Wednesday. (SPA)
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Saudi Industry Minister Meets with French Industrial, Mining Executives 

The Saudi and French delegations meet on Wednesday. (SPA)
The Saudi and French delegations meet on Wednesday. (SPA)

Saudi Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources Bandar Alkhorayef held on Wednesday a series of bilateral meetings with senior executives and prominent leaders from the French industrial and mining private sectors during his official visit to France.

The meetings, aimed at exploring joint investment opportunities in the industry and mining sectors and fostering greater collaboration and knowledge exchange, underscore the ongoing commitment to strengthening bilateral ties between Saudi Arabia and France.

Alkhorayef met with Orino Mining chief executive, Bel Group chief impact officer, Sidel president and chief executive, and Safran chief executive to discuss potential avenues for cooperation that are vital to both nations’ economic growth.

The meeting was attended by Local Content and Government Procurement Authority (LCGPA) Chief Executive Abdulrahman Al-Semari and National Industrial Development Center (NIDC) Chief Executive Eng. Saleh Al-Solami.

Discussions covered boosting cooperation in mining, aerospace, and food manufacturing and packaging. The Saudi delegation also highlighted the Kingdom's attractive investment environment and incentives available to investors.

The meetings come within the framework of strengthening bilateral economic ties and attracting quality investments to the Kingdom, particularly in the industrial and mining sectors.

Moreover, Alkhorayef witnessed the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between Sidel, a leading global French packaging manufacturer, and Saudi Arabia’s NIDC. The MoU aims to establish a regional service hub and a specialized center for industrial human capital development in Saudi Arabia.