LIBYA IV Trade and Investment Forum (London, UK)

The Middle East Association (MEA) organised ‘LIBYA IV Trade and Investment Forum’. The Conference was held in London from 9 am to 4 pm on Tuesday, 6th July 2010, at 1 Great George Street, Westminster.

The conference had the full support of UK Trade and Investment, the Tripoli Chamber of Commerce, the Libyan Businessmen’s Council, the People’s Bureau of Libya in London and the British Embassy in Tripoli.

Libya is Africa’s second largest oil producer, Europe’s single biggest supplier and a major gas producer with a huge potential to develop its economy. The country is going through a complete makeover, both politically and economically. The government is keen to diversify the economy, promote foreign investment, and redistribute wealth through private enterprise. With no foreign debt, Libya has an estimated $136bn in foreign currency reserves and is looking for places to invest.

Key decision makers from Libya and speakers from the UK gave speech in the fourth annual Libya conference and provided a political and economic overview and shared their insights on specific sectors including oil and gas, construction & infrastructure, education & training, healthcare, finance, law, telecommunications, and retail.

Some of speakers are Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean, Michal Thomas (MEA), Dr. Alsedieg Alshaibi (GM of Ministry of Planning & Finance), Mr. Abdulmagid El-Mansuri (MD of ABC consultancy) and Mr. Richard Slade (Commercial Manager of Exmed) and was attended by around 175 business representatives from all sectors of the British and International business communities including a 35 strong delegation from Libya.

In the picture above from left, Mr. Osma Gnijiwa (GM of Al-Birdi Co), Mr. Omar Jelban (Libyan Ambassador to the UK), Mr. Abdulmagid El-Mansuri (MD of ABC consultancy), Mr. Tarek Alwan (MD of SOC Libya (myslf)) and Dr. Mohamed Tunmi (Owner of Tumi Law Firm).

Libya expects $2bn FDI; eyes downstream oil industry

Libya is expecting nearly $2bn in new foreign direct investment, Libya’s Privatisation and Investment Secretary Dr. Mahumd Al-Ftise said yesterday druing ‘Libya Opportunity & Challenge III’ which was orgnised by The Middle East Association and held in London on 23th July 2009 and It has the full support of UK Trade and Investment, the Libyan British Business Council, the Tripoli Chamber of Commerce, the Libyan Businessmen’s Council, the People’s Bureau of Libya in London and the British Embassy in Tripoli.

“We have over $2bn operating in FDI in Libya and we have almost $2bn in process,” Mahmud Al Ftise said on the sidelines of a Libya investment conference in London, without giving a time frame for the investment.

“This number is humble but we are really relaxed because the numbers are increasing. Libya has very big potential.”

Libya is also working on attracting investment totalling around $2.7bn in the downstream oil industry, Al Ftise added.

International investors see huge untapped potential for growth in the North African country, which was starved of investment during years of socialist policies and international sanctions.
Libya’s relations with the West took a leap forward in 2003 when it gave up banned weapons programmes and again last year when it agreed with the United States to settle compensation claims for attacks, including the 1988 Lockerbie airliner bombing.

Gaddafi’s foreign-educated son, Saif Al Islam, has helped push through economic reform measures, and the capital is now dotted with construction cranes building new hotels and business centres. But some investors’ enthusiasm has been tempered by red-tape, a creaking bureaucracy and uncertainty over how well protected property rights are in Libya.
Foreign investors complain of obstacles such as restrictions on visas.

Al Ftise said Libya was beginning to introduce visas for investors on arrival at Libyan airports, rather than from individual embassies.

“That is starting now, we are hoping it will come in probably after a month,” he said.
However, he said relaxation on visas was a two-way process with countries such as Britain.
“If you ease things here, we will ease things there.” Libya has privatised more than 100 companies since 2003 in industries including oil refining, tourism and real estate, of which 29 are 100 percent foreign owned.

The oil and gas sector still dominates the economy and is the destination for most foreign investment. BP and Exxon Mobil are among the international oil majors active in the sector.
Libyan banks are allowed to enter partnership agreements with foreign banks but the foreign partners are restricted to a

49 percent stake. Al Ftise said foreign investors can take 100 percent ownership in other sectors.

Abdulmagid el-Mansuri, Chairman of the Industry Ministry’s Foreign Investment Committee said that Libya was planning free trade zones for individual countries.

Source: Reuter and Sahra Oil Consultancy