Economic Focus 11

ISSUE 1 VOL 11 SPRING 2016 MAGAZINE OF THE ARAB-BRITISH CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

REGENERATION OF BATTERSEA

MOROCCO’S CLEAN POWER DRIVE

IMPORTANCE OF SMES

THE UK AS A CENTRE FOR ISLAMIC FINANCE

SAUDI CONSTRUCTION OPPORTUNITIES

VOCATIONAL TRAINING

DOING BUSINESS IN OMAN

SHUROOQ SECRETARIAT ESTABLISHED AT ABCC

BRITAIN AND THE EU

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ECONOMIC FOCUS CHAMBER NEWS

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Economic Focus is an Arab-British Chamber of Commerce publication.

Editorial Team

Abdeslam El-Idrissi, Chief Editor Cliff Lawrence David Morgan Dr Yasmin Husein Arab-British Chamber of Commerce 43 Upper Grosvenor Street London W1K 2NJ Tel: +44 (0) 20 7235 4363 Fax: +44 (0) 20 7245 6688 economicfocus@abcc.org.uk www.abcc.org.uk

Production & Design

Distinctive Publishing Unit 6b, Floor B, Milburn House Dean Street, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 1LE Tel: 0845 884 2385 www.distinctivepublishing.co.uk

Advertising

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CONTENTS Focus Reports

Special Features

Focus Interview: Battersea Power Station Development Company 6

Finance 14 Focus on Legal

16

The UK: Leading Western Centre for Islamic Finance

10

Learning and Development

56

Doing Business in Oman

29

Morocco’s Ambitious Drive for Clean Power

32

Joint ABCC – London Chamber Trade Mission to Saudi Arabia 36

Disclaimer

Distinctive Publishing or Arab-British Chamber of Commerce cannot be held responsible for any inaccuracies that may occur, individual products or services advertised or late entries.

No part of this publication may be reproduced or scanned without prior written permission of the publishers and Arab-British Chamber of Commerce.

ISSN No: ISSN 1751-4339

Shurooq Secretariat Established at ABCC

42

Trends in Saudi Arabia Residential Market

48

Trends in UAE Real Estate Market 2016

50

Dubai’s New Law on PPP

54

British Economic Survey

66

Chamber News Networking for Members

74

Sudan Business Roundtable

76

Trade Mission to the UAE

78

New Members

80

Arabic Section 84

ARAB-BRITISH CHAMBER OF COMMERCE 5

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There is undoubtedly still unrest in some countries which will continue to have an

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The emergence of vast railway projects throughout the GCC have been particularly significant in the strengthening of relationships between Western and Middle Eastern businesses in recent years and the transport infrastructures themselves will provide scope for improved international trade flows for the future. Similarly, pioneering projects such as the $100bn King Abdullah Economic City have been attracting some of the world’s largest corporations to gather their expertise and help reshape the MENA landscape.

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ECONOMIC FOCUS CHAMBER NEWS

Powering the regeneration of Battersea Economic Focus interviews Andrew Jones, Special Projects Director, Battersea Power Station Development Company Please briefly describe the history of your company.

Andrew Jones

Battersea Power Station Development Company is responsible for managing the restoration of Battersea Power Station and the regeneration of the adjoining land, following acquisition of the site by Malaysian shareholders SP Setia, Sime Darby and EPF which took place in September 2012.

The famous Power Station was decommissioned in 1983 and it is now being transformed into the centrepiece of a vibrant new neighbourhood characterised by homes, restaurants, shops, a riverside park, High Street and town square.

Say something about your main partners, such as the leading architects who have been involved?

The Power Station itself is regarded as one of the finest examples of Art Deco industrial architecture in existence, and was the brainchild of the famous architect Sir Giles Gilbert Scott. While the Power Station is being faithfully restored

by Wilkinson Eyre Architects, there are a host of other big names working on different aspects of the development including Frank Gehry on what will be his first London residential building, Foster + Partners, Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG) on the new Town Square and James Corner Field Operations whose previous work includes the New York High Line are now working on what will be one of the largest roof gardens in London, overlooking the Power Station.

Can you outline your company’s core values?

‘Don’t Do Ordinary’. We have put

together a team of experienced and creative individuals whose guiding objective is to make sure that the neighbourhood we are building at Battersea reflects the boldness and originality of the Power Station itself, and in turn will command the same affection. In practical terms this means going through every aspect of the development – the offices, the shops, the homes, the public parks and shared spaces – finding ways in which the human experience can be made better and more fulfilling.

brands alongside hotels, restaurants, cafes, theatres and offices. This means that there is something for everyone all in one safe, thoughtfully-designed location which is characterised by parkland, green space, and riverside views.

What are the key features or amenities that make Battersea Power Station a distinctive place to live and/or work?

Without doubt the creation of a new Tube station at Battersea Power Station is one of the most important, and attractive, aspects of the development.

The Tube station not only puts Battersea Power Station within a few minutes direct access to the West End and The City, but it also plugs into a wider transport hub including Thames Clipper services, improved mainline train services and a network of cycle and pedestrian routes. Work on the Tube

Clearly the location is one of the strongest attributes; it is in central London, on the riverside, within a few minutes of Chelsea and Westminster.

However, one of the most appealing aspects of the development is that there will be everything from the artisan baker through to the world’s leading fashion

Please comment on the role of the construction of the new Northern line extension to the future development of the Battersea Power Station project and its appeal?

extension has already begun and the new station will open in 2020.

What is the advantage to your business, if any, in having the image of Battersea Power Station represented in the new UK passport?

The inclusion of Battersea Power Station on the new UK passport reflects the extent to which the building is famous throughout the world, and the pride and affection people hold for the Power Station. It is unique, it is one of the defining features of the London skyline and for sheer brand value it is priceless.

Do you have any thoughts on trends within the luxury real estate market in London?

London is arguably the greatest city on

ARAB-BRITISH CHAMBER OF COMMERCE 7

earth and there will always be a demand for luxury real estate, particularly in the centre and particularly on the riverside.

Quite a few people are now looking beyond the traditional hot-spots of Chelsea and Belgravia to emerging new neighbourhoods like Battersea where they can secure considerably more space for their money and the growth prospects are far better.

Would you like to say anything about your membership of the ABCC? Membership of the ABCC is excellent value for money and provides you with immediate access to a network of businesses and professionals with whom you can share ideas, work collaboratively and enjoy one another’s company.

We benefit a great deal from our membership, not least by taking part

in events organised by the Chamber and using opportunities like this to talk about the redevelopment. It gives us a valuable platform to explain the work we are doing and the unique opportunities being created at Battersea.

Have you any further comments to make that you would like to share with our readers?

Battersea Power Station is one of the most keenly anticipated new destinations in London, there are a few remaining residential properties available and conversations are now underway with commercial tenants for the shops, offices and restaurants being created.

More information can be found at www.batterseapowerstation.co.uk

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ECONOMIC FOCUS CHAMBER NEWS

The UK: Leading Western Centre for Islamic Finance

By Gary Campkin, Director, International Strategy, TheCityUK

The UK’s position as the leading Western centre for Islamic finance has grown in recent years, although institutions in London and other cities in the country have been providing Islamic financial and related professional services for nearly 40 years. As the industry has developed, the breadth of Islamic products and services offered by the UK has grown and is increasingly competing with offerings of conventional financial institutions.

Islamic finance encompasses a wide range of services. Banking, which accounts for nearly 80% of Islamic finance assets, and sukuk on 16%, represent forms of finance that are most well established. Funds with 4% and takaful 1% account for the remainder. Products that may be the subject of innovation include private equity and private wealth management.

Market size The global Islamic finance market has grown rapidly in recent years. My own organisation, TheCityUK, estimates that the global market for Islamic financial services, as measured by Sharia compliant assets, totalled around $2 trillion at the end of 2014, up 12% on the previous year.

Annual growth averaged nearly 16% between 2007 and 2014. This means that global assets of Islamic finance have tripled since the start of the economic slowdown in 2007.

Key trends in the industry in 2014 include landmark debut sukuk issuances by governments and the expansion of Islamic finance into more countries. In Europe, Islamic finance is expanding its presence mainly via capital markets, reflecting the region’s importance as a

centre for global financial activity.

Industry assets are set to continue to increase in the years ahead underpinned by domestic demand in emerging economies. TheCityUK expects the market to top $3.0trn by 2018.

The GCC region accounted for the largest proportion of Islamic financial assets at the end of 2014 as the sector is slowly gaining mainstream relevance in most of its jurisdictions. It represented around 38% of global Islamic financial assets and was followed by the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region (excluding GCC) with 35% and Asia 22%.

There are some 1,000 institutions registered globally as Sharia compliant organisations in financial services.

Of these, around two-thirds are fully compliant, and the remainder operate Sharia compliant products within a conventional institution.

While scope for development of the Islamic finance market exists in Western countries, an appropriate legal and regulatory structure needs to be designed and implemented in many countries. The industry is still largely a nascent one lacking economies of scale, and operating in an environment which often does not appropriately take into account the specific characteristics of Islamic finance.

The growing reach of Islamic finance offers a number of possible benefits.

Aspects of Islamic financial practice may reduce exposure to unanticipated events in the conventional financial sector. The system promotes proactive control over financing arrangements that introduce leverage – preferring where possible equity based alternatives on a risk shared basis that better support economic growth.

The growing sophistication of Islamic finance means that it can generate new ways of catering to the development needs of Muslim countries, in collaboration with conventional finance or independently. However, much of the potential of the industry remains to be exploited.

The UK is ranked above other important centres for Islamic finance on its overall offering according to the ICD Thomson Reuters Islamic Finance Development Report and has been at the forefront of key developments in Europe. This report gives the UK an index value of 16.2, above the global average of 10.3 and the highest ranking of any non-Muslimmajority country.

The UK was particularly strong in the Islamic knowledge category (education and research), governance, corporate social responsibility (CSR) and awareness.

The number of institutions based in the UK that offer Islamic finance services is nearly double the number located in the US and far ahead of other Western countries. Assets of UK based Islamic finance institutions totalled some $4.5bn at the end of 2014.

Islamic finance plays a significant role in infrastructure development in the UK and includes, for example, development finance for The Shard, Battersea Power Station regeneration, London Gateway, the Olympic Village and the redevelopment of Chelsea Barracks.

The UK is an attractive destination for foreign investors as shown by foreign ownership of UK shares accounting for more than a half of all UK share ownership.

An important feature of the development of the UK as a centre

ARAB-BRITISH CHAMBER OF COMMERCE 11

for Islamic finance has been a range of supportive UK Government policies which have created a fiscal and regulatory framework intended to broaden the market for Islamic finance products.

This includes, for example, the removal of double tax and extension of tax relief on Islamic mortgages and the reform of arrangements for issues of Islamic bonds. The Islamic finance sector operates under legislation that applies to all sectors – hence, there is a level playing field for both Islamic and conventional financial products.

There are over 100,000 Islamic finance retail customers in the UK. The Islamic finance retail market has developed in recent years with the launch of a series of Sharia compliant products including individual savings accounts, home purchase plans (which is an alternative to a mortgage but consistent with the principles of Islamic finance), a Sharia compliant pension scheme and business start-up financing. Islamic student financing is also being developed by the UK Government.

The Islamic finance industry has benefitted from the depth and breadth of the UK’s conventional sector.

London is the leading global centre for international financial services and this is one of the critical reasons why Islamic financial institutions have chosen to locate in the country.

London has the leading share of trading in many international financial markets including foreign exchange and Over-The-Counter (OTC) derivatives trading, international bank lending and international insurance. Taken together, London and the wider UK is also Europe’s premier centre for management of sovereign wealth funds, hedge funds and private wealth.

Islamic finance has shown resilience at a time when the global economy has slowed and conventional banking in Western countries has been under pressure. The UK Government considers this vibrant and rising sector of vital importance to the success and prosperity of the country.

As the leading Western centre and consequently Europe’s premier centre for Islamic finance, the UK is well positioned to capture a growing share

of global Islamic finance business in the coming years.

wholesale Sharia compliant UK bank based in London. BLME’s offering spans corporate banking, treasury and wealth management that comprises private banking and asset management.

Banking Islamic consumer banking began in the UK in the 1990s when corporations from the GCC introduced Islamic mortgages (based on the murabahah principle) and offered mortgage financing (based on the ijarah principle) shortly thereafter.

There were five fully Sharia compliant banks licensed in the UK, with assets totalling $3.6bn at the end of 2014.

There are also a number of conventional banks that provide Islamic financial services from a UK base. In total, over 20 banks in the UK offer Islamic finance services. This substantially exceeds the number in any other Western country or offshore centre and is nearly double the number in the US. l

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Al Rayan Bank is a retail bank and the only Islamic bank with a high street presence having five branches and around 50,000 customers. The bank offers a wide range of Sharia compliant financial products in the UK. The Bank of London and The Middle East (BLME) is an independent

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QIB UK took on its new branding in 2010 to reinforce its identity within QIB’s global network. QIB UK offers a range of Sharia compliant financing and investment products for both Islamic and non-Islamic clients alike. It provides Sharia compliant investment banking services including trade finance, private equity and asset management to clients ranging from high net worth individuals to sovereign wealth funds and other institutional investors.

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Gatehouse Bank is a Sharia compliant wholesale investment bank operating in capital markets, real estate, asset finance, treasury business and Sharia advisory services. The bank manages $1.7bn real estate assets across the US and UK. In 2012 the bank issued the UK’s first ever real estate backed sterling sukuk Al-ljarah.

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Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank (ADIB) is pursuing an ambitious growth strategy. ADIB already operates a large continued page 12

ECONOMIC FOCUS CHAMBER NEWS

from page 11

Islamic Banks in Western Countries

branch network in Egypt – and is in the process of extending operations to several markets across the Middle East and beyond. ADIB UK limited was established to bring the bank’s services to clients in the UK. The European Islamic Investment Bank (EIIB) has its headquarters in London but is authorised as an investment firm rather than a bank. The firm offers its customers Sharia compliant treasury and capital markets, asset management, private banking, trade finance, correspondent banking and advisory and corporate finance services.

A long-standing challenge faced by the Islamic banking sector is its ability to ensure its banks have sufficient liquidity due to the limited stock of assets Islamic banks can hold, which are both high quality and Sharia compliant. In 2014, the Bank of England announced that it is assessing the feasibility of establishing Sharia compliant facilities to help Britain’s Islamic banks meet their liquidity obligations and expand the services they can offer customers.

Sukuk Sukuk is an essential part of the Islamic finance market, and London as a major centre for international bonds is an important centre for the issuance and trading of sukuk. The outstanding value of international bonds in the UK totalled around $3.3trn at the end of 2014, some

Global Assets of Islamic Finance

15% of the global total and second only to the US. London is also the leading centre for international bond trading with an estimated 70% of secondary market turnover.

The UK was the first Western nation to issue a sovereign Islamic bond. In 2014, the British government sold £200m of sukuk, maturing in 2019, to investors based in the UK and in major global hubs for Islamic finance.

Britain’s first sovereign Sukuk was heavily oversubscribed with very strong demand and orders totalling around £2.3bn.

Allocations were made to a wide range of investors including sovereign wealth funds, central banks and domestic and international financial institutions.

One of the UK’s objectives in issuing the Sukuk is to bring Islamic finance into the mainstream. By showing that a sterling Sukuk was viable it encouraged acceptance of Sukuk as an asset class by investors who might not previously have considered it. The UK sovereign Sukuk has given the green light to the private sector to do more to help the Government meet the UK’s infrastructure and regeneration requirements.

Funds The UK is one of the largest markets in the world for fund management. It has a strong international orientation

and attracts significant overseas funds.

London is the leading centre for international fund management. The global fund management industry is expanding rapidly as an emerging global middle class lives longer, saves for the future and wants to invest.

UK-based firms operate in one of the most open markets in the world for fund management and are in a prime position to gain new international business.

According to ICD Thomson Reuters, net assets of Islamic funds in the UK amount to around $600mn. A total of seven Sharia compliant exchange traded funds (ETFs) and two Sharia compliant exchange trade products (ETPs) are listed on the LSE. BLME launched the first Sharia compliant fixed income fund in March 2009 and it remains the only Sharia income fund that is rated ‘A’ by Moody’s, the international rating agency.

The UK has consolidated its position as the leading global centre for the management of funds on behalf of overseas clients in recent years. This has been one of the key reasons why many Islamic financial institutions have chosen the country as their base of operations.

More than a third of total funds managed in the UK, or some £2.2trn, come from overseas clients. Some 40% of the large and medium sized asset

ARAB-BRITISH CHAMBER OF COMMERCE 13

Islamic Finance

by Region

management firms in London are owned by overseas investors.

The UK Government is committed to ensuring the country remains an open and competitive market for international investment.

Takaful With the launch of the Islamic Insurance Association of London (IIAL) in 2015, the UK has set the stage to play a more active role within the global takaful market. Lloyd’s, the Chartered Insurance Institute (CII), the London Market Group (LMG), the London International Insurance Brokers’ Association (LIIBA) and TheCityUK have become associate members of IIAL. IIAL has been launched to support the work of those in the UK re/insurance markets that are transacting Islamic finance. As one of the largest insurance markets in the world, and the leading global centre for wholesale insurance and reinsurance, the UK has the potential to support the growth of takaful business in the coming years.

London is the pre-eminent home of speciality underwriting capacity and expertise. It also has a reputation and history for innovation, both in product design and approach. The UK takaful sector has been gathering pace recently with XL Group announcing in March 2015 that together with Cobalt Underwriting

Islamic Finance

by Sector

it has launched the first Shariah compliant product to be available through Lloyd’s of London.

Prior to this, Willis in conjunction with Cobalt Underwriting, launched the UK’s first Shariah compliant commercial real estate insurance solution. Lloyd’s, the insurance marketplace based in London, has now opened an office in Dubai.

UK GOVERNMENT STRATEGY An important feature of the development of London and the UK as the key Western centre for Islamic finance has been supportive government policies intended to broaden the market for Islamic products for both Sharia compliant institutions and conventional firms that offer Islamic financial services.

The development of Islamic finance has enjoyed cross party political support over the past decade. There have been two key policy objectives: l

First, to establish and maintain London as Europe’s gateway to international Islamic finance; and

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To ensure that nobody in the UK is denied access to competitively priced financial products on account of their faith.

The establishment of an enabling fiscal and regulatory framework in the UK for

Islamic finance over the past decade, has been a key to facilitating these policy objectives. Initiatives have included: l

The removal of double tax on Islamic mortgages and the extension of tax relief on Islamic mortgages to companies, as well as individuals.

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Reform of arrangements for issues of Islamic bonds so that returns and income payments can be treated ‘as if’ interest. This makes London a more attractive location for issuing and trading Sukuk.

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Initiatives by the Financial Conduct Authority to ensure that regulatory treatment of Islamic finance is consistent with its statutory objectives and principles.

In 2013, the Government launched the UK’s first Islamic Finance Task Force. The Task Force supported the development of the UK’s Islamic finance sector, helping to increase inward investment and strengthen the economy. It included senior industry practitioners to ensure that the UK’s offer was promoted at home and abroad by both the public and private sector.

In March 2015 UK Export Finance guaranteed its first Sukuk, which was more than three times oversubscribed.

This guarantee was for the 10-year US$913 million Sukuk issued by Emirates Airlines, used to finance the acquisition of four Airbus A380 aircraft. This Sukuk issuance was a triple world first: l

It was the largest ever capital markets offering in the aviation sector with an export credit agency guarantee.

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It was the first Sukuk certificate issuance guaranteed by an ECA

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It was the first time Sukuk has been issued to raise finance for aircraft prior to their delivery.

UK Export Finance can now potentially offer this new product to other overseas buyers of UK exports.

TheCityUK has produced a report, The UK: Leading Western Centre for Islamic Finance, November 2015, which can be downloaded at: www.thecityuk.com/research/ the-uk-leading-western-centre-forislamic-finance

ECONOMIC FOCUS CHAMBER NEWS

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ECONOMIC FOCUS CHAMBER NEWS

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FOCUS ON LEGAL

Anti-counterfeiting: challenges for brand owners Claire Mackey, Intellectual Property Lawyer, Marks & Clerk Solicitors For many businesses, their brand is one of the most valuable assets. When brand owners have invested considerable resources in the development of the brand and worked hard to build up goodwill with their customers so that they recognise the brand as a guarantee of the quality and safety of the goods, it can be extremely damaging when counterfeit products infiltrate the market and undermine those efforts.

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volumes of counterfeit products in a timely and efficient manner.

Once a consignment has been detained, the authorities send details to the right holder’s representative. The right holder then has a short period to confirm that the goods are infringing, that it agrees to the destruction of the goods and that it wishes to receive information about the alleged infringers. At the same time, the authorities contact the alleged infringer and ask if they consent to the destruction of the goods. If the right holder does not confirm that the goods are infringing, they are released.

If the right holder confirms that the goods are infringing, and both the right holder and alleged infringer agree to the destruction of the goods, then they are destroyed. This procedure means that the destruction of the goods can be achieved without the need to commence legal proceedings, which saves considerable time and money. If the alleged infringer does not agree to the destruction of the goods, then the right holder is obliged to commence civil proceedings for infringement and can use the information provided by the authorities in relation to the infringer as the basis for the action.

Action within the territory

With careful planning, it is possible to set up co-ordinated pan-European border detention projects that achieve the seizure and destruction of large volumes of counterfeit goods and provide invaluable intelligence about counterfeiting activities. The key to a successful strategy is establishing a network of EU associates who have good relationships with local customs authorities and expertise in local procedure, so as to deal with high

In addition to action at the border, we recommend that brand owners monitor Internet infringements. This can be a more effective method of tracking down the source of the products and the key operators than investigations on the ground. Once infringers have been identified, a focussed attack can be made and civil or criminal sanctions pursued, as appropriate.

In the UK, the Police and Trading Standards have the power to take action in relation to counterfeit goods. Their budgets are stretched, so they are unlikely to take on small matters or matters without a health and safety angle but they can provide a cost-effective route to targeting large consignments because they take on the responsibility and cost of the investigations.

Strategy Counterfeiting activity can seriously undermine the value of a brand and result in a significant unwelcome cost to business. A report by the UK IPO in September 2015 revealed that UK Border Force detained over 1.6 million infringing items in 2014/15. The retail value, if genuine, would have been over £65million. In the face of this level of threat, it is vital for businesses to put in place effective strategies for policing their brands both at the border and in the territory so as to send a message to the market place that this activity will not be ignored.

Protecting you at every border The counterfeits trade is on the increase, costing businesses around the world billions each year.

Fortunately, your intellectual property opens up multiple ways to protect your genuine goods and your brand, including border controls to stop fakes from entering your market.

Get in touch to find out how we can help.

ECONOMIC FOCUS CHAMBER NEWS

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Experienced Notaries ensure you get it right … and on time!

If you are planning on setting up a business in the Middle East, or have already done so, then it is likely that you will need to have documents “notarised”, “legalised” and often translated. This can appear a daunting and confusing process. Choosing the right notary is essential to ensure that you and your business can navigate through the various procedures as smoothly as possible.

Notarisation and legalisation are often the last steps to be considered when closing on a transaction, which can frequently result in tight deadlines.

Using a large firm that always has notaries available to witness documents being signed, at your offices if required, is vital.

Most notaries in England and Wales fit their notarial duties around full-time practice as solicitors, and consequently often lack the wealth of experience and expertise that dedicated providers of notarial services acquire. Scrivener Notaries are a specialist, linguistically trained, branch of the profession exclusively providing notarial services in London. The Scrivener qualification is a hallmark of professional excellence and it means that the notaries who have undertaken this level of training have been examined successfully in advanced notarial studies, the laws of a foreign country relevant to their practice as well as translation.

Once notarised, documents will invariably have to be legalised.

Legalisation is the process whereby the

consulate of a particular country verifies that a public document issued within the jurisdiction where its mission is based bears the genuine signature, seal or stamp of the authority or notary that produced it. Depending on the situation and highly variable requirements in different countries, some of these documents may need to be translated.

Whilst a business can arrange its own legalisation or use a legalisation agency, it is much easier and efficient to use a firm of notaries with its own legalisation and translation departments. This kind of “one-stop shop” can then take responsibility for the whole process for you, from beginning to end.

The legalisation requirements for the Middle East are particularly complex, and can change regularly. Documents are first submitted to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office for legalisation by “Apostille” and subsequently “legalised” at the embassy or consulate in London of the Middle East State in question. As a consequence, it is important for the firm’s legalisation department to maintain an excellent

working relationship with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the various consulates and embassies so as to keep abreast of the latest changes to requirements and practical matters like their working hours. Clients can then be informed accordingly to avoid frustrating delays.

In the sphere of international business, preserving the confidential nature of client documentation and data is paramount, so a good legalisation department or agent will have a team of full-time messengers who personally attend the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and consulates on their clients’ behalf. This is the best way to safeguard confidential and sensitive documents.

Furthermore, clients demanding the highest levels of data security should seek to engage a firm which boasts the ISO 27001:2013 (Information Security Management System) certification.

Peter Adams Scrivener Notary and Senior Associate, De Pinna Notaries Email: PeterA@depinna.co.uk

Experts in Apostille & Legalisation services We have developed a one stop solution with our FCO legalisation service.

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ADVERTORIAL

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Notarial Services in London Notable Notaries is a well-established boutique practice specialising in Notarial services, Apostille, Consular Legalisation.

We arrange for private and corporate documents to be certified by our Notaries Public and have a solid experience and knowledge in dealing amongst other jurisdictions with documents to be used in the Middle East.

We can assist you with the legalisation of your documents, whether by way of Apostille, Consular Legalisation or both.

With our same day service we can arrange for documents to be legalised within 12 hours.

We have dedicated and specialised couriers that go to the standard services in Milton Keynes on a daily basis reducing sensibly the cost of legalisation for our clients.

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ECONOMIC FOCUS CHAMBER NEWS

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Our purpose is to partner, protect and enable businesses in the Middle East

Established in the UAE in 2002, Links Group partners, protects and enables foreign companies to enter the market while safeguarding their status as business owners. Combining business acumen with robust legal counsel, the team ensures clients are protected at all times, and that they can build a business which they own and control.

As a corporate nominee partner, Links Group offers beneficial ownership protection to foreign companies and advises corporations and individuals on how best to structure a legal commercial presence in the UAE and State of Qatar that protects their ownership interests and affords clear succession planning.

Before the introduction of Free Zones, all foreign businesses were required to have a local partner who held at least 51 percent of the company’s capital.

This was a concern for business owners who wanted to enter the market but not hand over the majority of their company.

Links Group was established to simplify the process of market entrance for foreign companies by changing the partnership structure to ensure they

would have beneficial ownership of their company, despite the ownership laws.

Specifically the Links Group corporate nominee partnership structure, which was pioneered by the Founding Partner, John Martin St. Valery with the support of the Dubai Foreign Direct Investment Office (Dubai FDI), allows foreignowned companies to work with a highly structured board as their local partner as opposed to an unknown individual.

This structure provides foreign businesses with a corporate entity to act as their 51 percent nominee, local partner, shareholder or sponsor, thereby minimising the risks associated with appointing an unknown individual nominee, and at the same time satisfies corporate governance requirements.

By recruiting the brightest minds, and partnering with top legal experts, Links Group’s clients get access to a unique level of service and unrivalled network of business and government contacts and specialist expertise.

Working directly with the foreign investment promotion agencies regionally and internationally to provide valuable counsel and advice to companies, Links Group has an untarnished track record with over 300 clients, who represent combined annual revenues of over USD 5bn to their respective economies. It is also recognised as a Dubai SME 100 company, ranking 1st in corporate governance amongst the top performing SMEs in the Emirate and an Arabian 500 Company. www.linksgroup.com

ECONOMIC FOCUS CHAMBER NEWS

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London’s exclusive legal advice

Immigration, Asylum, Human Rights, Employment Not all lawyers are the same. This is what we sought to prove when creating “Cromwell Wilkes” – a legal firm that earns the trust of its clients, whilst also doing things a little differently; and answering frequent questions about our unashamedly eccentric name. It’s inspired by two notable figures from British history. Oliver Cromwell and John Wilkes were complex and controversial men. But both believed in the rule of law over arbitrary power, in the rights of parliament over monarch, and in the ultimate sovereignty of the people.

Since starting my legal career as a young criminal barrister over fifteen years ago, moving later into immigration and human rights, I have recalled and revered these principles. By 2013, when Cromwell Wilkes was born, I was

determined myself to create something with them uppermost in mind, and something uniquely “London-British” in style and character. A law firm that Sherlock Holmes himself might design.

And our very British brand compliments a keen internationalist outlook, with many successful clients from the Arab world and beyond. We are proud of what we have achieved, but determined to achieve much more. We have an exceptional record of gaining success for our clients; and strive to be a brand leader in professional ethics and conduct. Our Client Charter promises we shall never mislead or deceive. We never take a case unless we believe we can win rightly under the law - if we don’t succeed first time, any further advice and representation is free of

charge. And we are well regulated by the Office of the Immigration Services Commissioner (OISC), an organisation I believe has done really excellent work in driving up standards in immigration law advice. Upholding those standards, doing so in our unique way, never compromising on truth or integrity, is our enduring ambition.

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SPECIALIST UK IMMIGRATION LAWYERS DO YOU WANT TO MIGRATE TO THE UK? We are a leading UK immigration firm, based in the centre of London. Our reputation with our private and corporate/education institution clients has been established over many years, based on the high quality of our legal work and our exceptional client care. We have an extensive client base in the Middle East and North Africa and have represented clients for over 15 years and are well known to the British Consulates in the region. We are also specialists in European residence/passport programmes for Cyprus, Malta, Spain and Portugal and also passports by investment for St Kitts and Nevis, Dominica and Antigua.

We give our clients the benefit of our extensive legal experience, whether you are a private client and want to come to the UK as an Investor, Entrepreneur, Sole Representative, Student or a corporate client wanting to set up business operations in the UK or recruit or transfer international staff.

We have an outstanding success rate across all immigration categories and pride ourselves in looking after our clients from initial arrival in the UK through all the various stages to securing Citizenship.

We offer a free consultation service for prospective clients. Call today to arrange an The Founder and Senior Partner, Garth Coates, appointment with one of our immigration right, has been a leading immigration lawyer advisors. for over 20 years and has the distinction of formerly working in the Home Office.

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Are you thinking of investing in the UK? Whether investing in UK businesses, UK property or coming to the UK as an entrepreneur, you will need Legal representation at some point.

So how do you decide which solicitor to use?

You need Solicitors that you can trust, are experts in their field, are cost effective and will get the job done.

Hodders Law are one of the largest multi-site law firms in London, with six offices covering Mayfair, Battersea, Brixton, Park Royal, Harrow and Wembley, so we can provide the services you need at a location to suit you.

We have solicitors who are experts in their field. Our solicitors are trained in specific areas such as Immigration, Commercial Conveyancing, Residential Conveyancing and Business Law. So you know that the advice you are getting is based on the most up to date law and the latest regulations.

Hodders Law have been in business since 1868. This means that you can trust Hodders to be in business going forward. You can deal with Hodders safe in the knowledge that your investment is in safe hands.

Finally, Hodders are accredited under the Law Society’s Lexcel scheme and the Conveyancing Quality Scheme.

Again this gives you peace of mind that you are dealing with a firm that prides itself in its quality of service.

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Doing business in Oman Oman has launched a film promotion initiative designed to help increase inward investment and promote non-oil exports.

‘Doing Business in Oman’ is a series of twelve short films unveiled by Ithraa, Oman’s Public Authority for Investment Promotion & Export Development, at the Opera Galleria – The Royal Opera House, in the capital Muscat.

Doing Business in Oman: Food Processing

The films showcase the people, companies and sectors that are helping shape the Sultanate to drive forward the nation’s economy.

Targeting an international audience, the short promotional videos highlight the strengths of Oman’s multilingual talent pool, access to global markets, education and training base, infrastructure, attractive lifestyle, and the country’s ability to accommodate the needs of large business and ambition.

“In Oman, we don’t go below the best in the world,” one interviewee in the films says. Other business people and officials speak about the excellent infrastructure, the locational advantages of working in Oman, the huge re-export potential of supplying to regional and global markets and the ease of setting up a business.

Companies can also take advantage of the abundant natural resources that Oman possesses along with the ready availability of skilled labour.

The films also draw attention to the Sultanate’s thriving enterprise culture and strong business networks that have a track record of welcoming newcomers to the country.

“To attract inward investment we’re setting our sights on a number of high-value international markets and are providing potential investors with a first-rate support system that helps facilitate their interest in setting up and exporting from Oman. The ‘Doing Business in Oman’ films will undoubtedly help us realize those goals,” explained His Highness Sayyid Faisal Al Said, Ithraa’s Director General of Investment Promotion.

Significant public capital investment in infrastructure has given Oman improved access to emerging and advanced economies and provided a springboard for inward investment to the Sultanate.

FDI increased by 35% from $14.3 billion in 2010 to almost $20bn in 2014.

Manufacturing, financial services and real estate are proving to be most popular with investors.

A key focus in each of the films is the theme of diversification. This is a strategy that is already paying dividends for Oman in a variety of sectors including logistics, ICT, agriculture, fisheries, tourism and manufacturing.

“The ‘Doing Business in Oman’ film series presents Oman’s bold commercial vision and determination to achieve results,” emphasised Sayyid Faisal.

According to Sajda Al Ghaithy, Ithraa’s Media Director, raising Oman’s international business profile is more important than ever given the challenges presented by current oil

prices, adding that, “the films will be supported by a social media campaign plus editorial coverage in national and international business and trade media to ensure we reach as broad an audience as possible.”

Sayyid Faisal concluded: “We’ve a big task on our hands – attracting further inward investment, promoting Oman’s non-oil exports, helping grow our private sector and ensuring Oman becomes the country of choice in the Gulf in which to work. I believe the ‘Doing Business in Oman’ film series will help tremendously in this regard. Those featured in the films did a wonderful job of showcasing Oman’s outstanding offer as a place to live, invest and do business.

It’s an impactful tool to have in the marketing mix.”

The ‘Doing Business in Oman’ film series can be viewed: http://bit.ly/1Rz1FJo Contact Ithraa https://ithraa.om

ECONOMIC FOCUS CHAMBER NEWS

Mina Sultan Qaboos Waterfront Project - the new tourism and cultural gateway to Oman

Spectacular Mina Sultan Qaboos waterfront project unveiled

By Oman Tourism Development Company (Omran) The Oman Tourism Development Company (Omran) will supervise the development of the Mina Sultan Qaboos Waterfront Project, which will transform Port Sultan Qaboos into a major tourism-based mixed-use waterfront destination.

The waterfront will serve as the new tourism and cultural gateway to Muscat and Oman.

The OMR 500 Million project consists of four development phases, with the first phase expected to be completed

Muttrah Harbour

by 2019, and was formally announced at a press conference by Minister of Transport and Communications, His Excellency Dr Ahmed bin Mohammed Al Futaisi and the new British CEO of Omran James Wilson, who is described as a well-known Middle East tourism industry fixer and specialist.

The mixed-use waterfront development is expected to become a major tourist destination for Oman, offering one of the region’s most authentic and historic waterfront promenades, while promoting the historic centuries old Muttrah harbour. The project will also provide a welcome boost to the small business owners of Muscat and will generate thousands of sustainable job opportunities.

The Mina Sultan Qaboos Waterfront Project aligns with the Oman government’s direction towards economic diversification, and the

ARAB-BRITISH CHAMBER OF COMMERCE 31

development is expected to play a leading role in the growth of the tourism sector in Muscat for the decades ahead.

The project will be developed over a 64 hectare area in Sultan Qaboos Port, and will include business and residential zones, retail centres, 6 hotels (3, 4 and 5 Star), waterfront promenades, berthing facilities for cruise liners and super yachts, tourist attractions and recreation facilities.

The waterfront destination will be developed over four phases, with phase one construction getting underway in 2016. The master development plan was finalized in 2015 with significant inputs received from private sector investors, who are keen to capitalize on the tourism and hospitality opportunities presented by the authentic waterfront development.

The private sector is anticipated to play a major role in this development, both in terms partnership funding and the creation of new investment opportunities. Private sector firms will also play a key role in shaping the business, hospitality and retail makeup of the new waterfront destination.

As many as 12,000 direct and 7,000 indirect jobs are expected to be created after the completion of the OMR500 million-project, which will dramatically transform Port Sultan Qaboos into a major tourism-based mixed-use waterfront destination.

The first phase of Mina Sultan Qaboos Waterfront consists of a fisherman’s wharf, fish souq, a five-star marina hotel, a four-star family hotel, hoteloperated residential apartments, starter apartments for first time home buyers, destination shopping, waterside restaurants and cafes, boutiques, offices, entertainment and cultural facilities as well as super yacht and a leisure boat marina. It is anticipated that Phase One will be completed and operational by 2019; coinciding with many prominent global cultural, tourism and sports events that are to be hosted in the region.

The second phase of the project is planned to commence in 2019, and will include a five-star hotel, a four-star hotel, multi-use conference facilities, a healthcare centre and sports club and residential apartments. Meanwhile, the third phase sees the completion of new

What is Omran?

The Oman Tourism Development Company SAOC (Omran) is tasked with driving forward the investment, growth and development of the rapidly growing tourism sector in the Sultanate of Oman. The company takes the role of master developer in major tourism, heritage, urban and mixed-use projects, delivering some of Oman’s most visionary and iconic destinations. As the leading executive government arm for tourism development in the country, Omran has a proven track record of delivering tourism and related projects to a

wharf and berthing facilities to cater for cruise liners, ferries and coastguard vessels. Also included is an additional boutique hotel, branded residential apartments with retail and hospitality areas.

The fourth and final phase includes a budget hotel, logistics zones, an integrated healthcare clinic and an accommodation zone for employees. It is expected that the final construction phase will be completed by 2027. To cater for the influx of visitors to the new waterfront destination, there will also be 6,000 new car parks created over an area of 197,000 m2, while the total built up area of Mina Sultan Qaboos Waterfront will cover 451,000 m2, approx. 70% of the total development area.

A new company is to be established to develop the Mina Sultan Qaboos

world-class standard, due to its core philosophy of sustainability, transparency and partnering with renowned regional and international investors. Importantly, by working in close collaboration with the local communities, as well as the public and private sector, sustainability is built into every project. The company’s portfolio of projects, asset management expertise and investment experience embraces the unique aspects of Oman’s culture and heritage, while safeguarding the natural beauty of the country for the future generations.

Waterfront Project, with 51% owned by Omran, and the remaining 49% taken up by pension and investment funds, together with private investors.

The public-private company business model is central to Omran’s new development strategy, whereby private institutions and investors work handin-hand with the Oman government on commercial projects. By taking a position in projects such as these, private sector investors will benefit not only from secure future returns by partnering with the Government of Oman, they also play a key role in building capacity to support the rapidly growing tourism and travel sector in the Sultanate.

For investment interest, please visit Omran.om

ECONOMIC FOCUS CHAMBER NEWS

Noor solar project leads Morocco’s clean power drive

By Oxford Business Group

The southern Moroccan city of Ouarzazate will soon be home to Africa’s largest solar plant and the world’s biggest concentrating solar power (CSP) facility, with €6 billion worth of solar projects currently in the works.

The 500-MW Ouarzazate Solar Complex (OSC) – which will occupy an area roughly the size of the capital Rabat – will harness solar power using CSP technology. As opposed to traditional photovoltaic panels, CSP uses mirrors to focus sunlight and convert it into 400°C heat to create steam that will power an energy-generating turbine.

The turnkey project’s first installation will be the 160-MW Noor I plant, with the Noor II and III facilities set to come online by 2018 or 2019.

Through investment in projects like the OSC, Morocco aims to exploit its 3000 annual hours of sunlight for domestic electricity production, with a view to eventually exporting power across the Mediterranean.

The Morocco Agency for Solar Energy (MASEN), created in 2010, is looking for solar projects like the OSC to enable Moroccan companies to add value to the sector, rather than merely importing and distributing products.

“The solar cluster was created in order to bring public and private actors together, creating an environment for collaborative projects that boost the development of local renewable energy industries,” Ahmed Squalli, CEO of NRJ International and president of the Moroccan Association of Solar and Wind Industry, told OBG. While the government is expected to launch further incentives aimed at encouraging local integration in the

emerging solar economy, obstacles to local involvement remain.

“As of today, the energy market in Morocco is not accessible to smallscale Moroccan companies, and as a result, only big international players can participate in major projects like Ouarzazate,” Squalli added.

The construction of Noor I, led by Spanish consortium TSK-AccionaSener, demonstrates the challenge of achieving full local integration. At 32% local company involvement, the plant exceeded its 30% target. However, Moroccan firms played a largely supportive role, providing services related to construction, commissioning, engineering, installation and logistics.

This should change in the near future.

Sener and Saudi Arabia’s ACWA Power,

who will serve as the developers for Noor II and III, are looking to improve upon these figures, with local integration targets set at 35% and plans to increase the percentage of locally sourced materials used in both plants.

Ambitious renewable energy targets Renewable energy projects like the OSC aim to reduce Morocco’s heavy dependence on imported fossil fuels, with 96% of the kingdom’s energy sourced from abroad at a cost of more than $8bn per year.

Increased electrification – alongside a 7% per annum increase in electricity consumption per year over the past decade, according to the national utility company, Office National de l’Electricité

et de l’Eau Potable (ONEE) – has placed a greater strain on the power grid in recent years.

To bolster its energy independence, Morocco has introduced a series of schemes focused on ramping up the contribution of renewables to the country’s energy mix.

In September 2015 the government amended the country’s renewable energy law from 2010, raising the renewable energy target from 15% to 42% by 2020.

ARAB-BRITISH CHAMBER OF COMMERCE 33

PROJECT UPDATE: King Mohammed VI to inaugurate Noor I Solar Plant HM King Mohammed VI of Morocco launches the largest solar-thermal power plant at Quarzazate in May 2013

Under the plan, 2000 MW each of solar, wind and hydro capacity will be developed, at a cost of at least $13bn, according to Hakima El Haite, ministerdelegate in charge of environment.

The planned wind projects alone are expected to generate 6.6m KWh of energy per year, and reduce the country’s annual CO2 emissions by as much as 5.6m tonnes.

Additional solar projects are also expected, after King Mohammed VI announced plans to raise the renewable target further, to 52% by 2030, during the Conference of Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change in Paris in late November.

Regulatory aims While observers largely expect the country to reach its renewable energy targets, challenges remain, including power grid integration, lack of feedin tariffs, and weaknesses in the institutional and statutory framework of the sector.

To help address these challenges, the government has taken some initial steps to reform the sector’s legal and regulatory framework, such as raising the ceiling for self-generation by industrial sites from 10 MW to 50 MW in 2008.

The 2015 reforms to the renewable energy law saw further changes to the sector, with renewable energy producers now able to sell surplus electricity to establishments connected to ONEE’s high-voltage or very-high-voltage grid.

The minimum capacity for hydropower projects has also been increased, from 12 MW to 30 MW.

HM King Mohammed VI of Morocco was scheduled to officially launch the first phase of the solar plant “Noor I” in the south-central town of Ouarzazate on 4 February 2016, according to a press release from Climate Investment Funds.

Noor I will eventually be the largest Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) plant in the world, reports Morocco World News. This phase will be the first of three for the plant, which began construction in 2013, and by 2018 is predicted to supply 1.1 million Moroccans with 500 megawatts of energy. The plant will also reduce carbon emissions by 760,000 tons per year.

Noor I is regarded by many as a huge leap towards a more energyindependent and sustainable Morocco. By 2030 the country aims to utilize renewable resource for over half of its energy use. It is also possible that Morocco will have the capacity to “export energy to European countries,” according to the World Bank.

Speaking about the plant in December 2015, Minister Delegate

in Charge of Environment, Hakima El Haiti, discussed the use of highly advanced CSP plants and how they work by using “mirrors to focus the sun’s light and heat up a liquid, which is mixed with water and reaches a temperature close to 400 degrees Celsius.” She explained that “this produces steam, which in turn drives a turbine to generate electrical power.”

She went on to add that the system allows for “the storage of energy for nights and cloudy days.”

Climate Investment Funds (CIF) has funded the $435 million plant via the African Development Bank and the World Bank. CIF operates in 72 developing nations worldwide and is the world’s largest multinational climate finance vehicle, with an overall value of $8.1bn. CIF aims to transform countries like Morocco into world leaders in renewable energy, climate resilience and forest protection.

For more on Climate Investment Funds see: www-cif.climateinvestmentfunds. org/about

ECONOMIC FOCUS CHAMBER NEWS

ADVERTORIAL

Installing sewers without surface disruption – Naylor’s clay pipes meet challenges across the Gulf Naylor Drainage is a Yorkshire-based fourth generation family-run manufacturing business. For 125 years, the company’s name has been associated with the production of quality vitrified clayware pipes for open cut sewerage applications.

Clay is an excellent material for sewerage pipes with an unrivalled service life.

Unlike other materials, it does not lose strength in service and it has excellent abrasion resistance, making it able to withstand maintenance procedures such as rodding and high pressure jetting.

Importantly for the Middle East, clay pipes are not susceptible to hydrogen sulphide attack, a phenomenon which has seen a number of the traditional concrete pipelines installed in the last 40 to 50 years literally disintegrate.

From its earliest years, Naylor’s clay sewer pipes have been exported across the globe. Naylor’s first export sale was recorded in 1906. Naylor pipes are particularly well known in the Middle East, with the company having supplied a significant number of major schemes across the Gulf States since the 1960’s. Over the past decade, Naylor’s international network has widened further, with Naylor products being used in 65 different countries.

Whilst establishing a reputation for the quality of its pipes has been paramount, the organisation is also proud of its client back-up and aftersales service once the ‘deal’ is done. But Naylor is also keen for potential customers to draw on its experience at the earlier stages of project planning. There have been many times when a contractor or client has come across a problem that seemingly has no effective solution, situations for example where sewerage infrastructure cannot be installed without unacceptable surface disruption or where post-installation operational conditions are challenging for conventional pipe materials. Naylor has the manufacturing flexibility and expertise to work closely with such clients to design and deliver bespoke solutions.

One area of world-leading expertise for Naylor is the manufacture of pipes for trenchless installation, which the company pioneered over 30 years

ago. The concept was quite simple: far-sighted countries investing in sewerage infrastructure wanted to minimise the disruption associated with construction activity and the field of No-Dig pipe installation was born. But trenchless installation required a new generation of super-strong pipes which could be pushed (‘jacked’) through the ground. Following a major research and development project with the input of leading UK universities, the Naylor Denlok jacking pipe was born.

Not only did the new pipe need to be highly strong, (Denlok pipes are capable of being pushed through the ground 100 metres or more at depths of up to 20 metres), but it needed a corrosion resistant (stainless steel) flush fitted joint (to avoid snagging during jacking) and a 5 bar EPDM seal. The latter is particularly important in minimising the risk of root ingress and withstanding high ground water pressures where pipes are installed at depth below the water table.

A variety of trenchless installation techniques have evolved from microtunnelling, through (pilot) auger boring and online pipe replacement to pipe bursting. Denlok’s strength has proven more than a match for all these processes, and Denlok pipelines have

been installed as carriers for telecom and electricity cables as well as the more common use in gravity sewers. The Denlok range now extends from DN150 to DN1000, ensuring the product can be used in all but the largest of trunk sewers. Recent months have seen Denlok’s use in two major pipe jacking projects in the city of Buraidah, Saudi Arabia. One project required 6,000 metres of DN700 Denlok pipe (supplied in 2 metre lengths) and a second project required 6,100 metres of Denlok ranging in diameter from DN200 to DN900, in 1 and 2 metre lengths plus specially designed manhole connections for all diameters.

The second area of world-leading drainage expertise for Naylor is aggressive environments such as where hot or corrosive effluents or ground conditions exist. In such situations, conventional pipe systems will be vulnerable to corrosion due to high acidity or alkalinity outputs or to fracture due to high thermal variation within the effluent flows that would create thermal shock within the pipe network. Naylor’s Thermachem product range comprises a range of ceramic pipes specifically designed for the chemical and process industries. The Thermachem pipe has a

ARAB-BRITISH CHAMBER OF COMMERCE 35

installation of DN100 to DN400 Thermachem pipes, which are used to provide the process area drainage on Gulf Fluor’s Abu Dhabi sulphuric acid plant

highly-engineered, specially formulated clay body which not only leads to its classification as fully chemically resistant but it is also able to withstand thermal shock at temperature ranges up to 120ºC. The Thermachem range consists of DN100 to DN500 plain-ended pipes and fittings which are connected using either push-fit polypropylene couplings or special chemical flexible couplings.

Most impressively, Naylor has brought together its expertise in trenchless installation and corrosion resistance in DenChem, a strengthened version of the Thermachem pipe which is suitable for pipe jacking, allowing pipeline installation with minimal surface disruption on process plants with aggressive effluents.

A typical example of a Thermachem installation is the Fruit of the Loom textile production plant in Skhirat, Morocco for which the dye plant wastewater system comprises four parallel dying process tracks or ‘lines’.

The wastewater system was built up using 67.5 m of DN250 Thermachem pipe to collect effluent from the dye lines, 287.5 m of DN450 pipe to remove

effluent from the plant for treatment and 67.5 m of DN100 pipe to collect both spillage from around the dyeing machines and floor cleaning water etc.

The chemical and process industries across the Gulf have also been a fruitful source of work for Naylor, with contractors Dhafra International Projects Group overseeing the successful

Edward Naylor, Chief Executive Officer of Naylor Drainage commented: “Irrespective of the application – gravity sewers, trenchless installation or corrosive environments – our team at Naylor has the expertise and engineering knowledge needed to support engineers and clients. We are experienced at providing pipes for challenging environments and have the flexibility needed to produce specific pipe solutions which meet the requirements of a particular project.

All products are fully certified by third parties meeting the requirements of the Gulf State approvals. Furthermore, with our well-established position in the Middle East, we see Naylor pipes continuing to underpin major pipeline developments and installations across the region for many years to come.”

ECONOMIC FOCUS CHAMBER NEWS

Members of the delegation from London Chamber on their trade mission to Saudi Arabia

Joint ABCC – London Chamber Trade Mission to Saudi Arabia

By Peter Bishop, Deputy Chief Executive, London Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) Saudi Arabia has been the Arab Gulf’s biggest construction market for a number of years. The Kingdom has huge resources to expand its infrastructure, build new cities and modernise its airports and other key installations.

More than $3 billion worth of projects are expected to start by 2020 with an impressive mix of mega-cities, public transport projects – over 4,000 kilometres of roads as well as a national railway – healthcare and educational buildings, and public housing already under way.

Projects that are attracting special attention are the new metro lines in

Riyadh, Jeddah and Mecca, the new mineral processing and fertiliser plant at Ras Al Khair in the north east of the country, and the world-beating Kingdom Tower in Jeddah. Such projects concentrated the minds of businesses who signed up for the LCCI/ Arab British Chamber of Commerce trade mission in October, timed to coincide with Saudi Build, a leading exhibition in the construction sector.

Riyadh and Jeddah diary US Secretary of State John Kerry was in town when the 16-strong LCCI trade delegation flew into King Khalid

International airport at the end of October 2015. Kerry was in Riyadh as part of a Middle East tour and met with HM King Salman –Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques – to discuss security in the region.

Local security measures were clearly evident. On the short trip from the Marriot Courtyard to an initial briefing and reception our mini-bus was checked at the hotel and again en route, this time by six business-like, machine guntoting soldiers, before we negotiated an impressive array of staggered barriers in the approach to the British Embassy.

Once in the compound (which includes

the Ambassador’s residence, another security measure), the delegation was greeted by Paul Clarke, head of trade and investment, before getting the benefit of Stuart D’Souza’s experience in the market. The chief executive of Arabian Enterprise Incubators emphasised the importance of the six ‘P’s – planning, patience, perseverance, presence, partner and payment. Success in Saudi Arabia, he said, “comes not from the one-off deal. It comes from the long term establishment of trust, mutual confidence and friendship.”

Chances of success were not being helped however by a storm brewing over the recent UK cancellation of a

ARAB-BRITISH CHAMBER OF COMMERCE 37

prison consultancy contract in the Kingdom. Back in Britain (I read in Arab News, the local English-language newspaper) the Saudi Ambassador, HRH Prince Mohammed bin Nawaf, had warned of “potentially serious repercussions” and a breakdown in relations. British business people in Riyadh were similarly unimpressed.

“We spend years building up relations and engaging with the Saudis – surely the best way to get them to change their approach, to punishments for example – then our government strikes a meaningless political pose and ruins everything”. That, more or less, was the sentiment and may have had some

(belated) traction with Downing Street as we heard that Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond was due imminently in the Saudi capital to attempt to unruffle feathers.

Business prospecting continued however and a B2B event at the Riyadh Chamber we were taken on a hard-hat site tour of the King Abdullah Financial Centre.

Shariah finance will feature strongly and the 1.6 m square metre development will include 59 towers, accommodation for 12,000 residents and a convention centre. London-based Zaha Hadid Architects have been selected to design the centre’s metro station while the contract for its automated monorail continued page 38

ECONOMIC FOCUS CHAMBER NEWS

from page 37

has gone to Bombardier, a Canadian company with a big presence in the UK. Not so many British companies in evidence though at Saudi Build, the region’s biggest property and construction exhibition and trade fair with which we coincided our visit. Just half a dozen in fact which paled into insignificance against the number of companies from China, Turkey, France and Germany who dominated the huge exhibition hall.

On the flight to Jeddah, the gateway to Mecca and Medina, we shared the plane with Saudi pilgrims on their way to perform Umrah, the so-called lesser

pilgrimage which takes place outside the Hajj period. The Red Sea city is host to a huge port, a Geneva-style ‘jet d’eau’, and an old town of coral buildings and has a more relaxed feel than the capital.

Business-wise, one of our interests was the 1000 metre high Kingdom Tower being constructed by the Saudi Binladin Group (SBG), owned by the Bin Laden family, which is responsible for a huge number of contracts in the Kingdom.

When completed the tower will surpass the Burj Khalifa in Dubai and become the tallest in the world. Indeed, as one of the SBG engineers pointed out when we visited the site, the apex of the building will be “as big as your Shard in London”!

Powerful Business Team As with so many trade missions the assorted members combined to form a powerful British business team, happy to impart their knowledge and experience, and looking out for opportunities for the whole group, not just their own companies.

With valuable assistance from Paul Clark, Mohammed Farouk and Mariam Mujtaba at the British Embassy in Riyadh and from Glyn Cartmell and Yamish Yakoob at the Consulate in Jeddah, mission members were comprehensively briefed on local and regional conditions so that they could take their products and services with confidence into the market. British Offset kindly sponsored the business reception in Riyadh, Saudia were the preferred travel partner, and mission partners the Arab British Chamber of Commerce gave invaluable support, not least in the pre-mission stage at which the ABCC’s Director of Trade Services, Abdelsalam El-Idrissi, gave a comprehensive briefing on business and culture in the market.

With all this and the skills of our mission manager Marta Zanfrini, my role as mission leader was made an easy but fulfilling one.

ARAB-BRITISH CHAMBER OF COMMERCE 39

Men on a mission With the exception of LCCI mission manager Marta Zanfrini, it was exclusively men on this mission but for no other reason than the two female delegates, Clare Beckett-McInroy of the Association of Coaching (www.associationofcoaching. com), and Dr. Amina Wakefield of Cambridge Regional College (www.camre.ac.uk) were unable to make the trip at the last minute.

Michael Colquhoun Director of export sales, Brett Martin Plastic Sheets

An Antrim-based manufacturer of plastic products, the Brett Martin Group was represented by Michael Colquhoun who was pushing the company’s range of polycarbonate for greenhouse glazing. Based during the mission at the Saudi Build exhibition, Colquhoun was clearly popular with local and international buyers. www.brettmartin.com

Yogesh and Shalin Dewan Managing director and marketing director, Domus Engineering

A father and son team from Domus, part of the Cedar Group, which specialises in the supply of Europeanbranded plumbing and sanitary material in the Middle East. They were focussing on housing and construction projects and obviously knew the market well. www.domus-england.co.uk

Tony White Managing director, Fast-Form Systems

Creator of a new (patented) formwork that promises to revolutionise the concrete construction industry, in a ‘green’ economy, White, who holds a commercial pilot’s licence, was on his first trade mission but certainly impressed local partners and has plenty of warm leads to follow up.

Indeed, within a couple of days of returning to the UK, he was sorting out a multiple visa to return to the Kingdom after an invitation from a major contractor. www.fastformsystems.com

Tony Barber

Omar Majid

Managing director, and Martin Johnson, export sales manager for the Middle East, Gillespie UK

Director, Salonika Consultancy

Designers and manufacturers of glass reinforced gypsum, Gillespie have a long track record the region – Johnson himself has thirty years of experience in the Gulf - and supplied the roof panels for the central dome of Jeddah International Airport. In Riyadh their main interests are in the new metro stations and King Abdullah Financial District. www.gillespieuk.co.uk

Malcolm Goodinson Specialist consultant, Joy Global

The ‘father’ of the group and a man with huge international experience in promoting British exports. Joy Global designs, manufactures, markets and services original equipment for the surface and underground mining industries, and Goodlinson returned home with a thick dossier of information and leads. www.joyglobal.com

Donavon McKillen Territory manager, Powerscreen

The second Ulsterman in the delegation, McKillen was completing market research on the opportunities for mobile crushing and screening equipment. Powerscreen are well known in the region and their territory manager was moving on from Saudi Arabia to complete his trip in Dubai and Kuwait. www.powerscreen.com

David Cook Associate – major projects, Rider Levett Bucknall

A cost and project management practice with a long history (it can trace its roots to 1785) and over thirty years’ experience in Saudi Arabia, Rider Levett Bucknall were represented

by David Cook whose encyclopaedic knowledge of the business impressed potential clients. www.rlb.com

An advisory firm which specialises in corporate and capital markets (and Islamic finance - see Majid’s article on this in the September 2015 issue of London Business Matters) Salonika were targetting infrastructure and real estate through a joint venture route. www.salonikaconsultancy.com

Zafar Choudhry Chief executive, Sentinel Group Security

A specialist in personalised security and facilities management, Sentinel were looking to do field research with a view to setting up in Saudi through a joint venture arrangement. Choudry, a mine of information on Arab culture, stayed on to visit the Holy Sites. www.sgs-ltd.com

Baim Al-Ahmadi Analyst, Set Advisory

Set Advisory carries out corporate investigations and provides business intelligence and political risk assessments. Al-Ahmadi was strengthening the firm’s knowledge of the Saudi market and looking to grow its clientele and network in the country. www.setadvisory.com

Charles Clarke Regional construction industry leader, Willis Group Holdings

Another huge global company on the mission, Willis has over 18,000 employees in over 400 offices. The Gulf region includes some of the most challenging risks in the world today, especially in the high value infrastructure projects, and Clarke was able to understand at first hand the culture and prospects in the market. www.willis.com

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HE Marwan bin Jassim Al Sarkal, CEO of Shurooq (right), and Dr Afnan Al-Shuaiby, Secretary General & CEO, ABCC, signing the agreement to establish the Secretariat

Shurooq Secretariat established at ABCC The Arab British Chamber of Commerce and the Sharjah Investment and Development Authority, otherwise known as Shurooq, have announced the establishment of a UK secretariat office for Shurooq at the Chamber’s Mayfair premises.

The initiative was formally agreed at a meeting held at the Chamber in January 2016.

Sharjah is one of the seven Emirates that together constitute the UAE and is the third largest city in the UAE. The new initiative is designed to provide services in support of companies seeking to successfully enter the Sharjah market and to facilitate improved trade relations with the UK.

The office will assist Shurooq in its continuing efforts to encourage, promote and facilitate investment and development cooperation among British and Sharjah business communities.

The opening of the secretariat follows the formal signing of a Memorandum of Understanding in London in April 2015 between Shurooq and the ABCC with the objective of working closer together to promote bilateral trade.

Guided by its traditions and inspired by innovation, Shurooq stands committed to enhancing Sharjah’s appeal as an investment, tourism, and business destination. An independent government entity, Shurooq facilitates partnerships and connects investors, corporations, and entrepreneurs with the right opportunities.

Shurooq seeks to evaluate and followup on tourism, investment, and

ARAB-BRITISH CHAMBER OF COMMERCE 43

heritage-related infrastructure projects, participating in the comprehensive construction and development processes both within Sharjah and in the wider UAE. Chaired by Sheikha Bodour bint Sultan Al Qasimi, the Sharjah Investment and Development Authority (Shurooq) is the driving force behind the transformation of Sharjah.

Shurooq identifies and configures a diverse range of investment opportunities across the Emirate and helps match the right product with the right investor.

Leveraging superior market intelligence and its unique insight into the economic activities of Sharjah, Shurooq is able to equip potential investors with accurate investment evaluations and assists in the management of those investments.

Shurooq actively promotes selfsustainable investment opportunities in many sectors. Depending on what is required, Shurooq can form publicprivate partnerships or joint ventures on key strategic projects. l

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Shurooq is charged with planning and designing Sharjah’s key tourism and development assets. The current portfolio ranges from heritage preservation and waterfront developments to retail, commercial, and residential offerings. It is actively expanding its portfolio to include key industrial developments as well. l

Planning and designing Sharjah’s key tourism and development assets

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HE Marwan bin Jassim Al Sarkal, Dr Afnan Al-Shuaiby, and Mr Elie J Armaly, Director of Business Development, Shurooq, outside the Chamber’s Mayfair office

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Shurooq seeks to establish lasting, profitable and sustainable partnerships.

It currently manages a number of assets within its portfolio and can manage future joint venture assets to keep the projects aligned with collective investment goals. l

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Requirements and Options for Setting Up a Company in Sharjah Contact for Shurooq Secretariat Dr Yasmin Husein Tel: 0207 659 4866 Email: Shurooq@abcc.org.uk http://shurooq.gov.ae/setup-abusiness/ Companies can contact the Shurooq Secretariat at: Shurooq@abcc.org.uk

ECONOMIC FOCUS CHAMBER NEWS

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SECURITY FEATURE

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The British Security Industry Association (BSIA) is the trade association for the UK’s professional security industry. Our members are responsible for more than 70% of privately provided UK security products and services (by turnover) including the manufacture, distribution and installation of electronic and physical security equipment and the provision of security guarding and consultancy services.

The BSIA is the voice of the private security industry, supporting members and encouraging excellence, whilst educating the marketplace on the value of quality and professional security. A key function of the BSIA – in its role as a UKTI Approved Trade Organisation – is forging productive trade links between UK security companies and overseas buyers including, most critically, in the Middle East.

Underlining the importance of the Middle East region to member companies, the BSIA’s Export Council – a dedicated forum for BSIA member companies who are focused on extending their business to overseas markets – conducts an annual piece of research which considers global security export trends.

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Victim secrecy masks levels of cybercrime but few are unaware of this rising threat

Cyber criminals and terrorists represent a major global threat to us all, according to the World Economic Forum. Defeating it is a priority for every government.

For obvious reasons, banks are primary targets; they have lots of money, are very complex and, in a fast moving digital world, present a juicy, lucrative operating environment for cybercriminals. They are making huge efforts to defend themselves.

Not entirely unreasonably, they are pathological about having their digital weaknesses and misdemeanours aired in public. They are, like all victims, sensitive to potential reputational damage and becoming a cyber statistic.

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ECONOMIC FOCUS CHAMBER NEWS

Saudi Arabia residential market shifts from sales to rentals

By Mr Jamil Ghaznawi, National Director and Country Head of JLL KSA

The real estate market in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is demonstrating continued growth momentum and maintaining steady performance, according to industry experts.

JLL, an influential global real estate investment and advisory firm, released its annual review of the Kingdom’s Real Estate Market for 2015, assessing the latest trends in the office, residential, retail and hotel sectors. In the macro background of lower oil prices and reduced public spending, the JLL report highlighted the Riyadh market maintaining steady performance, while Jeddah showed continued growth momentum.

Mr Jamil Ghaznawi commented: “We have witnessed a shifting demand in the residential market in both Riyadh and Jeddah, as the trend moves towards property rentals from sales. Residential transactions declined by 5% in the Yearto-November 2015 compared to the same period in the previous year. We expect rental demand to continue in 2016 but at a slower rate in comparison to 2015, while little or no change is likely in the sales market in 2016. However, this situation may change once the regulations surrounding the ‘white land tax’ are released.”

“Lower oil prices have put pressure on economic growth, liquidity, government budgets, the stock market and asset prices. This scenario has led to cuts in subsidies and reduced government spending and has also impacted the financing of real estate projects. A more selective approach can be seen, with an increased focus on critical infrastructure and affordable housing projects. On the other hand, there is reduced spending on less urgent projects, resulting in delays or scaling back of many projects.”

Majid Al Futtaim, a leading shopping mall, retail and leisure pioneer in the MENA, has announced plans to develop two new landmark shopping malls in Riyadh

With new hotels opening in Riyadh this year, there may be downward pressure on ADRs and occupancy rates due to increasing competition, JLL observed.

“However, we expect the Jeddah hotel market to remain relatively stable in the near to medium term. Even though there is new supply of Jeddah hotels, there is strong demand to absorb any new supply, as result of religious tourism and higher occupancies during school and public holidays.”

“With regards to the office market, Jeddah has witnessed a steady and healthy growth along with new supply of quality space. On the other hand, Riyadh rentals have remained relatively stable as occupiers exercised relative caution in terms of expansion as the economy slows down.”

2016 and beyond Ghaznawi stated: “We are entering a very challenging period as oil touches new lows and the government cuts spending and subsidies. It is encouraging to see that the government is taking steps to diversify the Saudi economy. Such structural initiatives will have long term benefits and will contribute towards the positive development of the Saudi real estate market.”

Moreover, he pointed out that new laws allowing full foreign ownership of wholesale and retail business will attract foreign investment, which will ultimately benefit the real estate market.

And finally, religious tourism will remain a growth sector in Jeddah and the Western region, and could support new hospitality supply.

ARAB-BRITISH CHAMBER OF COMMERCE 49

Sector summary highlights As a professional services and investment management firm, JLL offers specialized real estate services and advice to clients and potential investors.

Its sector summary highlights for the real estate markets in Riyadh and Jeddah are as follows:

an average of 2% for super regional malls and 4% for regional malls. l

RIYADH l

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Office: The materialization rate of commercial projects in Riyadh has been low in 2015, with only 121,000 sq m of the 500,000 sq m proposed actually being delivered (24%). This is mainly due to labour shortages and delays in obtaining permits and services to some projects. The majority of stock delivered came from ITCC, which delivered almost 66,000 sq m of office space in 2015. While a substantial amount of supply is scheduled for delivery over the next couple of years, given the historical delays in projects, materialization rates are expected to remain low.

Residential: In Riyadh, approximately 17,000 units entered the market over 2015, the majority of which were standalone villas or small apartment buildings (with no projects exceeding 150 units). Looking ahead at the upcoming supply, there are a number of large-scale projects including Green Oasis and the second phase of Manazil Qurdoba, which will deliver 930 and 700 residential units respectively. While 28,000 units could potentially be completed in Riyadh during 2016, actual deliveries are likely to be significantly less. Around 2,250 land plots were handed over to end users within the Eskan Airport Project in Riyadh in 2015. Apart from this development, there are no other major planned or under construction affordable housing projects in Riyadh.

• Retail: A significant amount of retail space is expected to enter the market in Riyadh over the next two years. This is expected to increase vacancy rates and decrease rents as competition in the market increases.

If all the projected supply materialises, Riyadh’s stock of quality retail space will increase by almost 60% over the next five years. Annual rental rates increased steadily in 2015 at

Hotels: Just two new hotel projects have opened in Riyadh this year (the Movenpick and Doubletree by Hilton) adding a total of 635 additional rooms. The materialization rate of hotel developments is generally low and a number of projects have been delayed to 2016, due largely to the shortage of labourers and overambitious expansion plans by hoteliers. An additional 8,900 room keys could complete in the years from 2016-2018 (representing an 84% increase from current supply levels) but in reality not all these projects are likely to materialize. ADRs increased by an average of 2% in each quarter of 2015 (apart from Q4 where ADRs decreased marginally by 1%). Y-o-Y occupancy rates remained almost identical (within 1%) to their respective periods in 2014 with Q4 2015 occupancy rates currently standing at 58% in Riyadh.

housing projects in Jeddah over the last year. However, there are currently 15,000 affordable units now under construction within the Eskan and Salman Bay Housing developments, with a further 15,000 under planning. l

Retail: Much of the retail space under construction in Jeddah lies to the North and East of the city, which both currently suffer from a shortage of quality retail space.

Once complete, those centres will draw demand from their catchment areas, which may affect footfall, and consequently performance rates, in shopping centres in other areas.

According to SAMA, the value of retail sales transactions across Saudi increased by almost 14% in the first 9 months of 2015 compared to the same period last year. The growth in sales turnover is representative of the strong demand for retail space, especially in Jeddah. Average retail rents have increased by 11.8% over the past year, with the strongest growth (8.3%) recorded in Q4 2015.

Vacancy rates in Jeddah remained stable at 7% for the first half of the year, but increased to 11% by yearend as some older centres under renovation or lost tenants to better quality retail space.

l

Hotels: Many of the proposed hotels planned in Jeddah have also failed to materialize in 2015, with the only opening in the year being the Radisson Blu Plaza with just 112 keys. The service apartment sector has been more active. In addition to the Ascott Tahlia property opening in Q3 2015, two further properties

by Ascott have opened in Q4 2015 including the Ascott Sari Street and the Citadines Al Salamah. The opening of three quality-serviced apartments in a short period reflects the positive outlook for quality serviced apartments and highlights a likely transformation of this market over the next few years. In Jeddah, almost 8,000 additional hotel rooms are expected to be delivered over the next three years, almost double the current stock.

JEDDAH l

l

Office: In Jeddah, only 38,000 sq m of GLA entered the market in 2015, comprising mostly of small space up to 5,000 sq m, with the exception of M Sas and Al Esayi Tower, which added 10,000 sq m and 7,800 sq m respectively. The development of small-scale projects reflects Jeddah’s role as a secondary business centre after Riyadh. While a significant amount of office space is scheduled to be delivered over 2016, (with a number of projects on Prince Sultan Street and King Abdulaziz Road, and the Emaar Square part of the Jeddah Gate development) further delays are expected and not all this space is likely to materialize.

Residential: the majority of the 20,000 new units delivered in Jeddah over the past year have been in the form of standalone villas and small apartment buildings. These projects bring total residential supply to around 789,000 units as of Q4 2015.

Looking ahead at 2016 and 2017, major project completions such as Salman Bay Housing and several of Eskan projects are expected to add a significant number of units to the market in addition to standalone units. There have been no competitions of any major affordable

For further information see: www.jll-mena.com

ECONOMIC FOCUS CHAMBER NEWS

Top trends for UAE real estate market in 2016 “The UAE remains an attractive real estate market and some buyers, especially owner-occupiers and those investors taking a long term perspective may well see value at current levels. Overall, we remain confident that while prices and rentals will soften further in the short term, they are likely to increase again, perhaps as soon as 2017, as the UAE continues on its path to becoming a more mature real estate market,” according to JLL, an influential real estate investment and advisory firm. strategy in 2016 and will look at profitable exits, which will increase selling activity.

These are the eight key trends that will affect the UAE real estate market this year, as outlined by JLL in a new report:

1 Tightening liquidity: With oil prices

4 Project delays reduce risk of

remaining low, the government has less scope to inject liquidity into the financial system, resulting in a general tightening of liquidity that will impact investment into real estate development in 2016.

Conventional project financing such as bank lending or IPOs will become more difficult, and developers will have to look for alternative funding mechanisms such as joint ventures, refinancing, public private partnerships (PPPs) and coinvestment vehicles.

2 Increase in ‘Build-to-Suit’ (BTS)

and ‘Sale & Leaseback (SLB)’: One of the alternative means of funding new development in the face of tightening liquidity will be ‘buildto-suit’. BTS involves developers building schemes according to the specifications provided by corporate tenants, who then commit to either lease or purchase the premises upon completion. This concept is prevalent in more developed markets, and would signal further evidence of the maturation of the UAE real estate market. Sale and Leaseback (SLB) is a means by which occupiers of existing buildings can free up capital for reinvestment in their core business. BTS and SLB solutions have been most prevalent in the office and industrial sectors of the UAE market to date but there is

increasing interest in these concepts in the education and healthcare sectors.

3 Reduced outflow of capital: 2016

will witness reduced capital outflows from the Middle East into real estate in the rest of the world. Capital outflows are expected to decline from 2015 levels when ME investors injected USD11 billion in overseas markets. An increasing share of the Middle East capital flow in 2016 will be from wealthy private individuals or families, as compared to sovereign wealth funds that dominated activity in 2015. As sovereign investors become more mature, they are expected to change their investment

oversupply: A by-product of the slowing market conditions in 2016 is likely to be a continuation of the trend of project delays. This will represent something of a ‘blessing in disguise’ and will help stabilise the market and avoid excessive oversupply. Project delays will be attributed to a number of reasons, including financing issues, contractual disputes, construction delays and licensing/approval delays, while some developers will deliberately hold back completions to avoid flooding the market. Over the past five years, the materialisation rate of proposed projects has been relatively low, with only 30% for proposed residential projects and 45% of proposed office space completing on schedule. The materialisation rate is expected to remain low with further project delays in 2016, which in effect will reduce oversupply risks.

5 Buildings that work: Productivity will be a key factor for occupiers selecting new office premises –resulting in demand being increasingly focussed on those functional buildings where they can operate more efficiently and productively. While overall levels of demand are expected to be lower than in 2015, those buildings that offer functional and efficient floor plates, high quality lifts and other

ARAB-BRITISH CHAMBER OF COMMERCE 51

services, sufficient parking and access to public transport will remain in demand. There is also an increased recognition that office premises contribute to staff productivity and high quality and flexible office space can therefore assist occupiers attract, retain and motivate staff.

6 Adding value to existing buildings: Another trend that can be expected in 2016 is a renewed focus on adding value to existing buildings rather than developing new buildings. This trend is resulting in increasing demand for fit-out within retail, office and hospitality projects, as owners seek to position them to match demand patterns. In a challenging economic environment, many occupiers are re-examining their fit-outs as this may represent a more cost effective option than moving to new premises.

The demand for new office fit-out is growing as occupiers increasingly seek functional, productive, spacious and affordable premises. In contrast, there is less demand for iconic or less functional buildings.

7 Changing hotel landscape: The

UAE hotel and hospitality landscape is expected to evolve and change significantly in 2016 as overall demand softens. The market will be affected by disruptions relating to technology (i.e. online bookings), growing demand from new customer profiles (i.e. younger generation), broader hospitality offering (i.e. growth of resorts) and a general move from Dubai’s core luxury

offering into a more broad based hospitality offering. This changing landscape and the issues and factors around it will impact how hotels operate and their profitability in 2016.

8 Emphasis on building safety:

2016 will witness greater attention towards building safety from various stakeholders, including developers, landlords, occupiers, consultants and government agencies. Due to increased overall awareness, there will more demand for well-maintained buildings with better fire safety and other systems. The market will also witness new regulations where building owners will have to adhere to stricter fire safety guidelines from government agencies such as Civil Defence. The important need in 2016 is probably less for new regulations, but for more effective enforcement of the existing codes and regulations.

This is likely to remain a hot issue as stakeholders seek to reduce the reputational risk to their brand from accidents and incidents relating to building safety.

Commenting on the 2016 trends, Mr Alan Robertson, CEO, JLL MENA, said: “2016 is expected to see more challenging conditions in the UAE real estate market as we begin to feel the impact of the continuing fall in oil prices and ongoing geopolitical tensions leading to reduced liquidity, and pressure on government budgets.

Whilst this overall scenario will naturally impact the UAE and wider GCC region, the UAE real estate market is now better

equipped to deal with such challenges than it has ever been.

With subsidy cuts, reduced spending and the potential introduction of a Goods and Services Tax (GST), the government is already realigning its strategy to further reduce its reliance on oil revenues. 2016 is likely to be a more challenging year for the UAE real estate market than 2015, but it must be recognised that the overall economy is still expected to grow at around 2.7%, so there remains opportunities as well as challenges”.

Craig Plumb, Head of Research, JLL MENA, concluded: “In a more challenging economic environment, real estate stakeholders (including investors, developers, occupiers and the government) need to consider a range of new strategies to realign themselves and accept the new realities.

Despite softening demand across many sectors of UAE real estate there remain significant opportunities for those willing to embrace the new trends offered by an increasingly mature and sophisticated market. It is also important to recognize that while the pace of economic growth in 2016 is expected to be below that seen in 2013 and 2014; it remains in line with that seen in 2015.

The market may be slowing but it is still growing”.

For further information see: www.jll-mena.com JLL (Dubai office) is a member of the ABCC

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Dubai’s new law on Public-Private Partnerships

By Rashid Khan, Associate, Nabarro LLP

Summary and Implications of Dubai Law No 22/2015 Dubai’s new Public-Private Partnerships (PPP) law, published in the Official Gazette on 20 September 2015, will regulate PPPs and change the landscape for projects in the Emirate. The new PPP law will come into force 60 days from its publication (19 November 2015).

Clear objectives The new PPP law sets out several objectives (Article 3). These include to: l

l

l

encourage the private sector to participate in development projects; enable the Government of Dubai (the Government) to implement its strategic projects efficiently and effectively; increase productivity and improve the quality of public services;

l

reduce the front-end costs and the financial risks to the Government; and

l

ensure private sector entities transfer knowledge to partnering Government agencies.

The structure of the PPP will depend on the economic, financial, technical and social feasibility of the project and must follow one of the following prescribed methods (Article 7): l

Private entity finances, completes and operates the project for the time period agreed before assigning and transferring full ownership to the Government agency in a concession type agreement or build-ownoperate-transfer (BOOT) model;

l

Private entity finances, completes and operates the project for the time period agreed before assigning and transferring the usufruct rights (the rights to use and enjoy the project) to the Government agency or a buildoperate-transfer (BOT) model;

l

Private entity to complete the project and then transfer ownership to the Government agency but maintain rights of commercial use and

The new law in practice The new PPP law will apply to all Government agencies that are subject to the general budget of the Government (Article 4). The law can be extended to those agencies not subject to the general budget by authorisation of the Supreme Fiscal Committee (the Supreme Committee).

The new law will apply to all types of projects, except for electricity and water projects and contracts of works and the supply of materials (Article 4), which are governed by separate laws, namely, Dubai Law No. 6 of 2011 and Law No. 6 of 1997 respectively.

ARAB-BRITISH CHAMBER OF COMMERCE 55

operation for an agreed time period; or l

Government agency transfers the benefit of the project to the private entity for commercial use for an agreed time period.

Key provisions Some of the key provisions of the new PPP law are outlined below.

The Partnership Committee and approval of projects Contracting Government agencies must form a Partnership Committee made up of members nominated by the agency’s Director General, which will be responsible for carrying out the tasks set out in the new PPP law (Article 11).

The Director General has the authority to approve projects with a total cost to the Government not exceeding AED200m.

Where the cost exceeds AED200m but is less than AED500m, written approval of the Department of Finance must be obtained. Projects costing more than AED500m must be approved by the Supreme Committee (Article 10).

The Partnership Contract The Partnership Contract (entered into by the Government agency and the private entity) has no prescribed form but must cover certain issues, such as the nature and scope of the works, specifications of the project, ownership of assets, duration and termination rights (Article 26).

Under the Partnership Contract the Project Company must (Article 32): l

maintain the project’s assets;

l

provide all information, documents and data required by the Government agency, Department of Finance or the Financial Audit Department;

l

transfer knowledge and expertise to the Government agency; and

l

train the Government agency’s employees and ensure that environmental and health and safety requirements are met onsite.

Tender process The new PPP law provides for an open competitive tender process following publication of the details of the project in the media (Article 14).

Consortium bids are permitted; however, consortium members may not submit separate bids (Article 21).

There are financial and technical standards for each bidder to satisfy with projects being awarded to the most “feasible offer technically and financially” following an assessment based on criteria set out in the tender documents (Article 23).

The successful bidder will normally be required to establish an SPV (the Project Company) to carry out the project.

The Government agency may be a shareholder of the Project Company but only if the Project Company takes the form of a Dubai LLC (Article 25).

The Project Company is free to secure financing directly with any banking institutions at its own risk (Article 36).

Some additional key points to note in relation to Partnership Contracts under the new PPP law include the following. l

The Project Company is not permitted to conclude any contracts with sub-contractors without the prior written consent of the Government agency (Article 32).

l

The duration of the Partnership Contract must not exceed 30 years from the date of signing the contract (not from the date of completion of construction of the project) (Article 27).

l

The Partnership Contract will be governed by the provisions of the new PPP law and must not be subject to any laws that contravene

the laws of Dubai (Article 35). We would, thus, expect that the majority of Partnership Contracts will be governed by UAE law as applicable in the Emirate. l

The new PPP law does not stipulate a forum for dispute resolution under the Partnership Contract; however, disputes may not be referred to arbitration outside the Emirate (Article 35).

l

The Partnership Committee, subject to obtaining the consent of the Director General of the Government agency, may amend any of the conditions of the Partnership Contract wherever the public interest requires (Article 30). This may be of particular concern to investors but the risk can be mitigated by including effective contractual safeguards.

Conclusion The new PPP law sends out a clear message: Dubai is encouraging the use of PPP and is seeking to create an environment for substantial privatesector investment into its projects and public services. With this new law offering a degree of protection to the private sector, we can expect to see more investment and talent coming into the Emirate and the development of even more cutting edge projects.

Contact Rashid Khan Tel: +971 (0) 4302 6009 Email: ra.khan@nabarro.com www.nabarro.com Nabarro LLP is a corporate member of the ABCC.

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A private tutor can help you to study in the UK

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Not only do they work in the world’s most popular languages, including Portuguese, French and Arabic on a daily basis, they also translate many of the lesser known tongues, including the ability to work in local dialects from North Africa to the Middle East.

Indeed, an increasing number of the company’s clients are from the Arab world, using the skills of Welcome Translations to overcome language barriers.

Each and every member of the team loves to work with languages and people

– that is their strength and it shows in the quality of their work.

They work across a broad spectrum of business sectors, with a particular emphasis on legal and technical translations.

The tasks undertaken cover a wide range of activities. For example, many clients use Welcome Translations to prepare documentation for items being shipped through ports and airports so that security and customs officials understand the contents of containers.

The team also translates a lot of medical information into different languages, making sure that medical practitioners in different countries understand precisely how to use the products effectively and safely.

Welcome Translations is increasingly being used to translate documents for Britons purchasing property abroad, including in Spain, and for Russians buying houses in this country, ensuring that nothing of the legal complexities of property negotiations is lost in translation.

The team also works on many personal legal documents, including translating divorce papers and other legal documents for civil proceedings.

So, whether you are a firm of solicitors, a local authority, a social service, a probation office, a prison, a blue-chip business or an individual, the team is here to assist you in all your translation needs.

Their rates are tailored just for you. No project is too small or too big. Whether you want to have your marriage certificate translated or have a 1,000page brochure turned into multiple languages, you will find the company’s services extremely competitive and reliable.

When it comes to language-related matters Welcome Translations offers a unique service. Indeed, it is the only translation company in the UK that is willing to tailor its terms and services to meet your requirements.

For more information, ring 020 7091 0491 or email info@ welcometranslation.com

W e lco m e T r a n s l at i o n s Lt d t r a n s l a t i o n

e x p e r t

www.welcometranslations.com

TRANSLATION

TRANSCRIPTION

We provide a wide range of translation services to cater to your specific needs. From legal documents to technical translation, from marketing brochures to medical reports, we work with any type and size of documents. We only rely on a network of qualified and experienced translators who combine their language fluency with excellent writing skills, cultural understanding and the technical expertise required to help you convey your message with accuracy – and timeliness.

We offer transcription services of audio/video files in English as well as foreign languages. We accept a variety of formats – including DVD and USB – that will be converted by our team of experts into consistent text. Over the years we have provided time-coded transcriptions of police interviews, immigration tapes, court hearings, documentaries, just to name a few and comparisons of audio and video materials. Our transcription process is meticulous, fast and certified for use in courts.

INTERPRETING

NOTARISATION

Professional interpreting is a critical component in ensuring the success of any business working across different languages. We have the capacity to guarantee professional, personalised language service for any setting and all venues, including courts and prisons.

We understand that certain translations have to be formally verified for official uses. We can guide you through the process of certifying your documents, and offer notary translation services according to the nature of each document and their uses.

Whether you require to facilitate multilingual communication simultaneously or consecutively, face-to-face or over the phone, our team will assist you in determining how to best meet your needs.

Should you require a sworn certification, an Apostille legalisation or any other notarisation services please do not hesitate to contact us!

Welcome Translations Unit 3 Lincoln House 1-3 Brixton Road London SW9 6DE Tel: 020 7091 0491 Fax: 020 7735 5390

ECONOMIC FOCUS CHAMBER NEWS

British Economic Survey The British Chambers of Commerce Quarterly Economic Survey for the 4th Quarter 2015 received almost 7,500 business responses. The respondents cover the entire United Kingdom, and were surveyed by postal and online questionnaires over the period 9 November to 30 November.

In the manufacturing sector, 1,882 ďŹ rms, employing approximately 279,000 people, responded. 1,218 (65%) of manufacturing respondents were exporters. In the services sector, 5,590 businesses with approximately 454,000 employees responded. Of the services sector participants, 2,124 (38%) were exporters.

While the majority of respondents employ fewer than 500 people, the sample included many large businesses.

Total responses are weighted according to the actual distribution of companies by size within each region and nation, and each region and nation is similarly weighted within the national aggregates to ensure that the sample provides a truly representative picture of UK commerce and industry.

The survey is the largest and most representative of its kind in the UK.

SUMMARY Although the key national balances remained positive in Q4 2015, pointing to continued growth, they conďŹ rm that the UK economy is facing challenges. In both the manufacturing and services sectors, most key balances were weaker in Q4 2015 than in Q3, with the manufacturing results suffering to a greater degree.

The domestic and export manufacturing balances for both sales and orders are now well below their prerecession levels in 2007. The sharp decline in the Q4 export manufacturing balances, to levels approaching stagnation, is particularly disturbing. However, there

were some positive results in the Q4 survey, as the balances for investment in plant & machinery rose for both the manufacturing and services sectors. Capacity utilisation was high in both sectors, in spite of the falls in the domestic and export balances. The need to build new capacity, as labour costs increase, may explain the increase in Q4 investment balances at a time of slowing demand. Intentions to increase prices rose markedly in manufacturing and fell slightly in services. Both manufacturing and service ďŹ rms also report sharply increased pressures for higher pay settlements.

ARAB-BRITISH CHAMBER OF COMMERCE 67

Domestic Market The domestic balances fell in Q4 2015 for both manufacturing and services. In the manufacturing sector, the domestic balances dropped further below their prerecession levels in 2007. The balance of manufacturing firms reporting improved domestic sales was +13% in Q4 2015, down from +20% in Q3 2015, and is now at the lowest level since Q1 2013. The balance for manufacturers’ domestic orders was +10% in Q4, down from +18% in Q3, and is at the lowest level since Q4 2012. The service sector’s balance for domestic sales fell from +36% in Q3 2015 to +32% in Q4 2015, the lowest level since Q3 2013. The service balance for domestic orders was +23% in Q4, down from +29% in Q3, the lowest level since Q2 2013.

Export Market The national export balances weakened in Q4 2015 for both manufacturing and services. The balance of manufacturers reporting improved export sales fell by nine points in Q4 2015, to +1%, the lowest level since Q3 2009. The manufacturing sector balance for export orders also fell to +1%. The service sector balance for export sales fell by three points in Q4 2015 to +15%, the lowest level since Q4 2011. The service balance for export orders fell by seven points in Q4 to +9%, also the lowest level since Q4 2011.

Employment The national employment balances weakened in Q4 2015 for both manufacturing and services. In the manufacturing sector, the balance of firms reporting an increase in their labour force over the last three months fell to +20%. The balance of manufacturers expecting their labour force to expand in the next three months fell five points to +17%, the lowest level since Q1 2013. In the service sector, the backward-looking employment balance fell one point in Q4 2015, to +23%. The forward-looking service employment expectations balance fell by three points in Q4 to +21%, the lowest level since Q1 2013.

Investment The balance of manufacturing firms that have revised upwards their plans to invest in plant & machinery rose by six

points in Q4 2015 to +24%. The balance of manufacturers that have revised upwards their plans to invest in training rose by three points in Q4 to +23%.

The balance of service firms that have revised upwards their plans to invest in plant & machinery rose three points in Q4 2015 to +20%. The balance of service firms that have revised upwards their plans to invest in training fell by one point in Q4 to +26%.

Business Confidence The national manufacturing confidence balances, after falling in Q3, were broadly stable in Q4 2015, recording very small divergent movements. The balance of manufacturing firms confident that turnover will improve in the next 12 months fell from +43% in Q3 to +42% in Q4, the lowest level since Q4 2012.

The balance of manufacturing firms confident that profitability will improve in the next 12 months rose from +32% in Q3 to +33% in Q4. The balance of service sector firms expecting turnover to improve in the next 12 months fell markedly from +54% in Q3 to +45% in Q3, the lowest level since Q1 2013. The balance of service sector firms expecting profitability to improve in the next 12 months fell from +42% in Q3 to +41% in Q4.

Capacity Utilisation

unchanged in the service sector. The percentage of manufacturing firms operating at full capacity increased by five points in Q4 to 41%, joint highest level since Q4 2014. The percentage of service firms operating at full capacity was unchanged in Q4 at +48%, an alltime high for our survey.

Cashflow The balance of firms reporting improvements in cashflow recorded divergent movements in Q4 2015, rising for manufacturing and falling for services. The balance of manufacturers reporting improved cashflow rose from +9% in Q3 to +12% in Q4, still slightly lower than its average 2007 pre-recession level. The balance of service sector firms reporting improved cashflow fell two point in Q4, to +14%, the same as the average 2007 level.

Prices Intentions to increase prices rose markedly in the manufacturing sector and fell slightly for service firms.

The balance of manufacturing firms reporting an intention to raise prices rose by eleven points in Q4 2015 to +19.

The balance of service firms expecting to raise prices fell two points in Q4 to +21%. Both manufacturing and service firms report sharply increased pressures for higher pay settlements.

Capacity utilisation in Q4 2015 rose in the manufacturing sector and was continued page 68

ECONOMIC FOCUS CHAMBER NEWS

from page 67

DOMESTIC

Sales and Orders

Q Excluding seasonal variation, domestic orders over the past 3 months are: Up/Same/Down

Q Excluding seasonal variation, domestic sales over the past 3 months are: Up/Same/Down

The National Perspective The domestic sales balances fell in Q4 2015, for both the manufacturing and services sectors. The balance of manufacturers reporting an increase in domestic sales was +13% in Q4 2015, down from +20% in Q3 2015, and the lowest level since Q1 2013. The balance of manufacturers reporting improved domestic orders over the next three months was +10% in Q4 2015, down from +18% in Q3 2015 and the lowest level since Q4 2012.

In the service sector, the balance of firms reporting improved domestic sales fell from +36% in Q3 2015 to +32% in Q4 2015, the lowest level since Q2 2013.

The balance of service firms reporting

improved domestic orders was +23% in Q4 2015, down from +29% in Q3 2015, the lowest level since Q2 2013.

The Regions and Nations Perspective The Q4 2015 manufacturing balances for domestic deliveries were in positive territory in ten regions and nations, while two balances were negative.

Comparing the manufacturing sector’s domestic performance across the various regions and nations, the strongest Q4 2015 domestic manufacturing balances were in Yorkshire & Humberside for domestic sales, at +23%, and in Scotland for domestic orders, at +37%. At the other extreme, the weakest Q4 balances were

in Wales, at -14% for domestic sales and at -14% for domestic orders.

The Q4 2015 service sector’s balances for domestic sales were in positive territory in eleven regions and nations, while one balance was negative in Q4.

Comparing the service sector’s domestic performance across the various regions and nations, the strongest Q4 2015 balances for domestic sales were in the East Midlands, the West Midlands and the South West, all at +44%. At the other extreme, the weakest Q4 service sector balances were in Scotland, at -7% for domestic sales, and at 0% for domestic orders.

EXPORT

Sales and Orders

Q Excluding seasonal variation, export sales over the past 3 months are: Up/Same/Down

Q Excluding seasonal variation, export orders over the past 3 months are: Up/Same/Down

The National Perspective The national export balances weakened in Q4 2015 for both the manufacturing and services sectors. In the manufacturing sector, the export

balances fell to levels approaching stagnation; they are now not only well below their pre-recession levels in 2007, but also below their long term historical averages. The manufacturing balance for export sales fell by nine points in Q4

2015 to +1%, the lowest level since Q3 2009. The manufacturing balance for export orders also fell by nine points in Q4 2015 to +1%, also the lowest level since Q3 2009.

ARAB-BRITISH CHAMBER OF COMMERCE 69

The Regions and Nations Perspective

balances were negative. Comparing the manufacturing export balances across the various regions and nations, the strongest Q4 2015 balances were in the Wales for export sales at +21%, and in Scotland for export orders at +28%. By contrast, the weakest Q4 manufacturing balances were in the South East at -18% for export sales, and at -17% for export orders.

The Q4 2015 manufacturing balances for export sales were in positive territory in seven regions and nations, while five

The Q4 2015 service sector balances for export sales were in positive territory in eleven regions and nations, while

The service balance for export sales fell by three points in Q4 2015 to +15%, the lowest level since Q4 2011. The balance of service firms reporting improved export orders fell by seven points in Q4 to +9%, also the lowest level since Q4 2011.

one balance was negative. Comparing service sector export performance across the various regions and nations, the strongest Q4 2015 balances were in the South West for export deliveries at +24% and in the South West and the West Midlands for export orders, both at +16%. Conversely, the weakest Q4 service balances were in Scotland for export sales at -22% and in Yorkshire & Humber for export orders at -10%.

RECRUITMENT DIFFICULTIES Q Have you attempted to recruit staff over the past 3 months: Yes/No

Q If yes, were they for: a) Part-time jobs/Full-time jobs b) Temporary jobs/Permanent Jobs

Q Did you experience any difficulties finding suitable staff? Yes/No

Q If yes, for which of the following categories: Skilled manual and technical/Professional and managerial/Clerical/Un- and semi-skilled

The National Perspective The percentage of firms in the manufacturing sector that attempted to hire rose to 80% in Q4 2015 from 78% in Q3. Of these firms, 91% attempted to recruit full-time staff, the highest proportion on record. The percentage of manufacturing firms trying to recruit part-time staff fell to 16% in Q4 from 18% in Q3. The percentage of firms in the manufacturing sector that ran into difficulties when trying to hire rose to 79% in Q4 2015 from 72% in Q3 2015.

In the service sector, the percentage of firms that attempted to recruit new staff fell in the fourth quarter of 2015, from 72% in Q3 2015 to 70% in Q4 2015. The percentage of firms that tried to hire full-time staff fell from a record high of 79% in Q3 2015 to 76% in Q4 2015. The percentage of firms trying to recruit part-time staff rose from 31% to 34%.

The percentage of service sector firms looking to hire on a permanent basis decreased from a record high of 73% in Q3 2015 to 66% in Q4 2015. The percentage of firms trying to recruit temporary staff fell from 36% in Q3 2015 to 35% in Q4 2015. More service sector firms experienced difficulties in recruiting, with the percentage rising from 63% in Q3 2015 to 64% in Q4 2015.

The Regions and Nations Perspective Within the manufacturing sector, the East of England had the highest percentage of firms that tried to hire in Q4 2015, with 91% of firms looking to take on new staff, followed by the South East (88%). London had the lowest percentage with just 32% of manufacturing firms looking to take on new employees. Firms based in the

East of England (89%) also experienced the greatest difficulties when trying to recruit staff. They were followed by the South West and the South East (both 87%).

Within the services sector, the East Midlands and the East of England had the highest percentage of firms that tried to recruit in Q4 2015, with 77% of firms in both regions reporting that they are looking to recruit. They were followed the North East (76%). Wales and Scotland recorded the lowest figure with 61% of firms in both regions attempting to hire. In contrast, service sector firms in Wales also experienced the greatest difficulties in hiring new staff with 82% of companies reporting problems. They were followed by the East of England and the South East (both 80%). Firms based in London (33%) experienced the fewest difficulties in hiring staff. continued page 70

ECONOMIC FOCUS CHAMBER NEWS

from page 69

INVESTMENT Q Over the past 3 months, what changes have you made to your investment plans:

a) For Plant and Machinery: Revised upwards/ Revised downwards/No change b) For Training: Revised upwards/ Revised downwards/No change

The National Perspective The balance of firms reporting that their investment intentions had been revised upwards in Q4 broadly increased in both sectors. The balance of manufacturing firms planning to increase investment in plant & machinery rose to +24% from +18% in the previous quarter.

Manufacturers’ intentions to invest in training also rose to +23%.

The balance of service firms planning to increase investment in plant & machinery increased by three points to +20%, while the service sector’s

intentions to invest in training fell one point to +26%.

The Regions and Nations Perspective In the manufacturing sector, the percentage balance of firms investing in plants & machinery remained positive across all regions. The strongest results were recorded in Wales (+48%) followed

by Northern Ireland (+44%) and the North East (+34%). For investment in training, the highest results were recorded in Scotland (+41%) followed by

the North West (+38%), and Northern Ireland and the North East (both at +37%).

In the service sector, all regions recorded a positive balance for investment in plant & machinery. The strongest balance was recorded in the South West at +30%, with the weakest recorded in Scotland at +9%. The balance for investment in training was also positive for all regions. The strongest result at +35% was recorded for the South West, followed by the West Midlands (+32%).

Scotland recorded the lowest at +13%.

BUSINESS CONFIDENCE Q Do you believe that over the next 12 months: a) Turnover will: Improve/Remain the same/ Worsen b) Profitability will: Improve/Remain the same/Worsen

The National Perspective The balance of manufacturers confident that turnover will improve in the next 12 months fell from +43% in Q3 to +42% in Q4. The balance of manufacturers confident that profitability will improve

in the next 12 months rose from +32% in Q3 to +33% in Q4.

The balance of service sector firms confident that turnover will improve in the next 12 months fell markedly from +54% in Q3 to +45% in Q4, the

lowest level since Q1 2013. The balance of service sector firms confident that profitability will improve in the next 12 months fell from +42% in Q3 to +41% in Q4.

ARAB-BRITISH CHAMBER OF COMMERCE 71

The Regions and Nations Perspective The Q4 2015 balances for manufacturing turnover and profitability confidence were in positive territory in ten regions and nations. Comparing confidence levels across the various UK regions and nations, the strongest Q4 2015 manufacturing balances for turnover confidence were in the North West, Northern Ireland and the South West, all at +55%. The strongest Q4 manufacturing balance for profitability confidence was in the South East at +47%. Conversely, the weakest Q4 2015 manufacturing balances were in Wales at -7% for turnover confidence, and at -13% for profitability confidence.

In the service sector, the Q4 2015 balances for turnover confidence were

in positive territory in 11 regions and nations. Comparing service sector confidence across the various UK regions and nations, the strongest Q4 balances were in the North East for turnover confidence at +69%, and in London for

profitability confidence at +58%. By contrast, the weakest Q4 2015 service balance for turnover was in London, at +32%, and the weakest profitability confidence balance was recorded in Northern Ireland at +24%

CAPACITY UTILISATION AND CASHFLOW Q Are you currently operating: At full capacity/Below full capacity

Q During the last 3 months how has your cashflow changed:

Improved/Same/Worsened

CAPACITY UTILISATION The National Perspective In the manufacturing sector, the percentage of firms operating at full capacity stood at 41%, up from 36% in the previous quarter. In the services sector, the percentage of firms stating that they were operating at full capacity remained unchanged from the previous quarter at 48%. The percentage of firms stating that they were operating at full capacity has averaged 46% throughout 2015.

The Regions and Nations Perspective In the manufacturing sector the highest proportion of firms reporting that they were operating at full capacity was

recorded in the East Midlands (57%), followed Northern Ireland (56%) and Yorkshire & Humber (41%). The region with the lowest capacity utilisation figure was Scotland (23%).

firms reporting improved cashflow decreased to +14%.

In the services sector, the region reporting the highest capacity utilisation was the East Midlands (70%), followed

by London (54%) and Northern Ireland (49%). The lowest figure was recorded in Scotland (15%).

In the manufacturing sector, the highest balances for improvements in cashflow were recorded in the South West (+32%) and the East Midlands (+30%). Negative balances were recorded in Wales (-20%) and the North East (-13%). In the services sector, the highest balance was recorded in the North East (+24%), Northern Ireland and the East Midlands (both at +23%). The lowest balance was recorded in Scotland (-13%).

CASHFLOW The National Perspective In the manufacturing sector the percentage balance of firms reporting improvements in cashflow rose to +12% from +9% in the previous quarter. By contrast, the balance of service sector

The Regions and Nations Perspective

continued page 72

ECONOMIC FOCUS CHAMBER NEWS

from page 71

PRICES Q Over the next 3 months, do you expect the price of your goods/services to:

Increase/Remain the same/Decrease

Q Is your business currently suffering pressures to raise prices from any of the following:

Pay settlements/Raw material prices/Finance costs/Other overheads

The National Perspective In the manufacturing sector, the balance of firms expecting prices to rise increased from a five-year low of +8% in Q3 2015 to +19% in Q4. Of the factors contributing to price pressures, there was an increase in the share of manufacturing firms which identified raw material costs (38%) as the key driver. Other factors included pay settlements (up nine percentage points to 37%) other overheads (up three points to 29%), and finance costs (up two points to 11%).

For service firms, the percentage balance of firms expecting prices to rise fell by two points to +21%. Of the factors identified as contributing to price pressures, 32% identified pay settlements, up from 22% in Q3 2015.

There was a slight fall in the share of firms which identified other overheads (31%), and increases in the percentage of firms reporting that raw material prices and finance costs (both 13%) were the biggest drivers in price rises.

The Regions and Nations Perspective In the manufacturing sector, regions with the largest number of firms expecting prices to increase included Scotland (+49%), West Midlands (+27%) and Northern Ireland (+25%). A negative balance was recorded in the North East (-29%). In the services sector, the

EXTERNAL FACTORS Q Please indicate which of the following factors are more of a concern to your business than 3 months ago: Interest Rates/Exchange Rates/ Business Rates/Inflation/Competition/Tax

percentage balance of firms expecting prices to rise was positive across all the UK nations and regions. The highest balance was recorded in Wales (+33%).

This was followed by Northern Ireland (+27%), the South West and the East of England (both at +26%). The lowest balance was recorded in London at +12%.

ARAB-BRITISH CHAMBER OF COMMERCE 73

Manufacturing

Services

Among the external factors affecting their business, the majority of manufacturers, 34%, reported that exchange rates were their biggest concern, unchanged from the previous quarter. 34% of manufacturers also saw competition as a concern, up from 31% in Q3 2015. A further 24% of manufacturers reported that inflation was the biggest concern, up from 21% in the previous quarter.

Service sector firms at the national level reported competition as the key external factor, with 35% reporting this as the biggest concern, up from 32% in the previous quarter. This was followed by inflation (24%), and business rates (20%).

The region which saw exchange rates as the biggest external factor was the North East, with 55% of firms citing this as the biggest concern. This was followed by Northern Ireland (41%) and the East of England (36%). The regions citing competition as the biggest concern were the North West and London (both 49%), followed by the North East (45%).

Service sector firms in the North West cited competition as the biggest concern (51%). This was followed by the North East (39%) and the West Midlands (38%). Inflation was the biggest concern for service sector firms in Northern Ireland and Yorkshire & Humber (both at 44%). This was followed the South East (41%) and the South West (37%).

This is an edited extract from a much more detailed report produced by the British Chambers of Commerce from whom the full report may be obtained. The ABCC thanks the BCC for permission to republish.

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4th QUARTE

R 2015

BRITISH CHA MBE

QUARTERLY ECONOMIC SURVEY

RS OF COMMER CE

www.economi csurvey.org. uk

ECONOMIC FOCUS CHAMBER NEWS

Members’ networking event The first of the Chamber’s popular members’ networking events of 2016 took place on the afternoon of 28th January.

Ten member companies from various industries delivered five-minute presentations in front of an audience of ABCC members, non-members and other guests.

Mr Abdeslam El-Idrissi, ABCC Director of Trade Services, speaking on opportunities in the Arab markets at the start of the networking event

Mark Njoroge, ABCC Financial Controller with responsibilities for membership, welcomed all the visitors to the event He thanked members for their support on behalf of the Dr Afnan Al-Shuaiby, the Chamber’s Secretary General & CEO, and Rt Hon Baroness Symons, the Chairman of the Chamber.

He told the meeting that the ABCC was planning a busy programme of activities for 2016 and stressed that the Chamber was keen to work more closely with its members.

Mr Njoroge announced that the Chamber’s new website would be launched soon.

Mr Abdeslam El-Idrissi, ABCC Director of Trade Services, delivered a presentation during which he looked at the key current and forthcoming opportunities in the Arab markets and the potential openings for UK business.

He pointed out that the Chamber had now been supporting Arab-British trade for 40 years and was able to offer a range of expert advice and services to member companies.

Mr El-Idrissi announced a programme of business events in 2016 with a focus on “opportunities” in key Arab markets, and which would start with Qatar, followed

by Kuwait, Morocco and Tunisia later in the year.

He also announced the establishment of the Shurooq Secretariat at the Chamber

following a formal agreement signed between the ABCC and Shurooq (Sharjah Investment & Development Authority).

The member presentations were delivered in the following sequence.

SGS UK Limited The company presentation focused on the new service from SGS Art Services, which offers to inspect works of art to provide safeguards for purchasers against damage and fraud. Its services cover the lifecycle of a painting and seek to bring trust and transparency to a poorly regulated global art market.

Naylor Drainage Limited Naylor is a Barnsley based manufacturer of a range of pipes for use in the construction industry. It is a family run business using clay which is a durable traditional material with a long life.

Exporting to 65 countries, its brand is well known in the Middle East markets including Qatar, the UAE and Saudi Arabia.

BBS Group BBS is a consultancy with a head office in London offering a range of expertise and services including advice on tender processes, training programmes and

ARAB-BRITISH CHAMBER OF COMMERCE 75

Representatives of member companies who spoke at the event alongside ABCC staff: Mark Njoroge, ABCC Financial Controller (left), Dr Lamya Al-Imara, Membership Officer (front centre) and Mr Abdeslam El-Idrissi, ABCC Director of Trade Services (second right)

sourcing of products for private labels.

Online marketing is also an expertise of the company.

Rider Levett Bucknell (RLB) RLB is a property consultancy with offices around the Middle East and across the world. It works closely with architects, developers and has a big focus on the Arab markets, especially the Gulf. It provides project management, risk analysis and sustainability consultancy for clients.

Recently, RLP has worked on projects in Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE but is planning to expand further into the MENA region.

Rapidrop Global Limited The company’s expertise is in designing sprinklers for the fire protection industry of which two million are produced each year. It has a strong presence in the Middle East. Some 80 percent of its products are made for export and sent to markets in the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Algeria. The company operates a R&D test site in Peterborough.

Hoda Lasheen Interior Design Limited The firm was founded in 2006 and

set up in the UK in 2015. It produces unique designs including items of furniture that are customised to meet the requirements of individual clients.

It was able to produce design work suitable for a rich variety of clients in the commercial, residential and educational sectors.

KS International Consultants & Public Accountants KS International is a firm of accountants with offices in Bahrain, London and in a total of 180 different worldwide locations. The Bahrain and London offices work for clients around the Gulf providing services such as auditing, consultancy, risk management, Islamic finance and advisory services.

Elite International Assets The financial services firm specialises in investment in the real estate and education sectors. Its services also include training especially in Islamic finance. The company seeks to act as a bridge between clients in Europe and the GCC. It aims to be a trusted financial adviser for Gulf clients and operates an office in Qatar with an additional one soon to expand into Saudi Arabia.

Long Rock Capital Limited Long Rock is an investment and financial services firm that works to bring together project opportunities and potential investors. It focuses on risk management, technical services, customised research and training.

Janet Rady Fine Art Janet Rady formerly worked for Sotheby’s and brings her expertise in the fine art market to the Middle East.

She specialises in contemporary art from the MENA region and Islamic art. She is a curator, exhibition organiser and operates an online art gallery that acts as a showcase of art for sale. Janet Rady’s customers include private clients and corporates for who acts as a consultant and supplier of artworks.

The members’ networking event concluded with a reception where refreshments were available and where delegates could discuss potential business together in an informal setting.

Facilities for one-to-one meetings were made available.

ECONOMIC FOCUS CHAMBER NEWS

HE Mr Osama Ali, Minister of State for Investment in the Republic of Sudan (centre), briefing UK investors on the numerous emerging opportunities in his country, with Dr Afnan Al-Shuaiby, Secretary General & CEO of the ABCC (top left)

Business Roundtable with HE Osama Ali, Sudan Minister of State for Investment Sudan, the third largest country in Africa, boasts a growing economy and as a net importer of oil the country has been benefiting from the global reduction in oil prices. The country hopes to see its economy grow 6.4% in 2016, up from 5.3% in 2015, according to the government in Khartoum, Reuters has reported (16 December 2015).

The main exports are petroleum products, agricultural produce and livestock. The country is seeking to boost foreign direct investment by the adoption of reforms that create an environment friendly to investors. Sudan is currently witnessing a boom in the manufacturing industry with cement production rising by 152% in the last 3 years. Major infrastructure projects are under way particularly around the capital, Khartoum.

The country possesses potentially large mineral wealth deposits including Gold, Chrome, Iron, Copper, Uranium, Cement, Gypsum, Marble, Mica and Tin. Gold is an especially promising investment option.

The Arab British Chamber of Commerce held a special business ministerial roundtable on 3 December 2015 which took as its focus potential investment opportunities in Sudan. The event was

hosted by Dr Afnan Al-Shuaiby, Secretary General & CEO of the ABCC. The guest speaker was His Excellency, Mr Osama Ali, Minister of State for Investment in the Republic of Sudan, who delivered a briefing on the various emerging opportunities in his country.

The Minister, who was visiting London to attend a major African investment summit, was accompanied at the Chamber by HE Mr Mohammed Abdalla Ali Elton, the Sudanese Ambassador.

Senior executives from a wide cross section of companies with interests in the Sudanese market were in attendance to listen to the Minister’s contribution which covered the numerous sectors that Sudan had prioritised for investment potential.

In welcoming the Minister, Dr AlShuaiby explained that the purpose of the discussion was to focus on the

key features of Sudan’s economy that would be most attractive to investors and to highlight any potential areas of cooperation with the UK. The roundtable’s formal proceedings began with a short promotional video which provided a richly illustrated introduction to Sudan’s diverse culture, heritage, investment climate, economic resources and the progress it was making in development.

The Minister began his speech by thanking the Chamber for facilitating the meeting with potentially important strategic UK investors.

In his presentation, HE Mr Osama Ali stressed the advantages to be derived from the key strategic location of the country which enabled it to act as a bridge between Africa and the Arab countries.

Sudan was open to trade and was

ARAB-BRITISH CHAMBER OF COMMERCE 77

a signatory to many regional trade agreements, such as the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA).

develop the productivity of agricultural resources through improved irrigation methods and the adoption of modern manufacturing processes.

infrastructure such as roads, bridges, airports, housing, commercial real estate, electricity production facilities and tourism projects.

The Minister explained the country’s federal system of government and indicated that the English language was in common use among the business community.

The fertile and extensive farmland in the country possessed the potential of expanding production of a huge number of crops such as oil seeds, maize, rice, various fruit and vegetables.

Finally, he expressed the full confidence that Sudan would achieve its goals of economic advance assisted by local, regional and world demands and investors.

He stated that the country’s GDP in 2015 was expected to reach $99.7 billion and the inflation rate, which increased after South Sudan became an independent state, was now being brought under control.

With ever increasing local, regional and global demands for food, Sudan was well positioned to take advantage of this growing world market by boosting its exports and in particular it was increasing the scale and frequency of its supplies to the Gulf markets.

During the question and answer session, interest was expressed in the country’s banking and finance sector.

There were many attractive incentives already on offer to investors in modern Sudan and it was planning to improve conditions still further with a new Investment Law that was expected in early 2016.

Concessions would cover the wide ranging and generous tax and customs exemptions which were applicable across various key sectors such as industrial activities, services and capital projects.

HE Mr Osama Ali explained how Sudan was planning to open eight new free trade zones in regions around the country with the aim of attracting new investors.

These proposals were still at an early stage of development and Sudan was keen to work with companies from the UK who had the relevant expertise in the running of free zones.

The first of these free zones that was scheduled to open was the Red Sea Economic Zone, the Minister said.

Sudan’s free zones would offer the usual free zone incentives such as guaranteed 100 percent ownership, and no restrictions on capital and labour.

It was mentioned that Sudan needed UK input to develop the infrastructure that was required for these new free zones.

The Minister then turned to the sector that the country had identified as priorities beginning with the large agriculture sector.

Sudan was acutely aware of the need to ensure that its food security was maintained and as a result it was seeking to attract investors to

There were opportunities for investors in the improvement in production to supply the export markets.

Livestock, poultry and dairy production and veterinary services all also offered opportunities.

The Minister pointed out that Sudan had a climate that was specifically well suited for the successful production of sugar, indicating that there was great potential to expand this industry.

Sudan was also planning to export more fresh meat produce and needed all the relevant facilities in place to achieve this.

The leather industry was another related area that required investment to improve the quality of its output.

With regards to pharmaceuticals and medical equipment, Sudan was aiming to manufacture for itself some 30-40% of what it currently imports.

The Minister reinforced what Dr AlShuaiby had said in her opening remarks about the country’s lucrative range of mineral resources such as gold, chrome, iron, copper, uranium, gypsum, marble and tin which could prove to be very rewarding to investors.

He stated that the country had only quite recently started to look seriously at developing its mining sector as it adjusted to the loss of the bulk of its oil to South Sudan.

In particular, Sudan wanted to increase its gold production over the next few years in partnership with investors.

In conclusion, the Minister highlighted some of the country’s main development projects for improving the

One questioner asked about the plans to develop the stock exchange while another wanted to know if local banks had sufficient resources to support companies operating in the country.

The Minister stressed that Sudan’s banking system was getting better pointing to the role of the Central Bank in improving the facilities that are available.

He indicated that the country’s stock exchange was in the process of development and could be improved with foreign expertise.

At present there were no British banks operating in the country following the exit of Barclays.

The foreign banks that were present in the market were mostly from the UAE. The Sudanese Ambassador, HE Mr Mohammed Abdalla Ali Elton, stressed that there were no UK economic sanctions on doing business with Sudan and thanked the ABCC for its continued work in promoting UK-Sudanese business contacts.

Dr Al-Shuaiby emphasised that the Chamber would always be ready to assist UK firms seeking to make a contribution towards Sudan’s growth and development.

Around the table in the Chamber’s boardroom were representatives from numerous sectors with expertise in property investment, agri-business, the cosmetics industry, financial services, asset management, consultancy, oil exploration, business incubation, engineering, agricultural machinery, solar energy and mining.

The broad range of sectors reflected an encouraging high level of interest from British business in the Sudanese market.

EUrOpEAN COmpANy missiON TO ThE UNiTEd ArAb EmirATEs – AbU dhAbi, dUbAi ANd shArjAh: MULTI-SECTOr AND WOMEN IN BUSINESS Saturday 3 – Thursday 8 September 2016 Closing date for applications: Friday 18 March 2016

UK companies are invited to join businesses from EU countries to explore the growing business opportunities in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

• ranked 31st overall in World Bank’s ease of doing business report, and first in the Middle East and North Africa region • English is widely spoken and accepted as the language of business.

Key sectors in the UAE are: infrastructure (especially construction and mass transport); energy; defence and security; education and training; financial and professional services; creative industries and media.

Furthermore, Dubai’s hosting of Expo 2020 includes projects valued at £4.7 billion which will improve the already world-class infrastructure.

This mission is open to companies from all sectors, with priority given to female entrepreneurs and women in business.

Key features of the United Arab Emirates: • strategic geographical location – Dubai is regarded as a regional hub and commercial capital for the Middle East, North Africa and beyond • it is the UK’s largest export market in the region • large expatriate population • one of the most liberal trade regimes in the Gulf attracting capital from across the region • diverse economy continuously growing and expanding • proximity to other Gulf markets, an entry route to other Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries • market for re-export into other countries outside GCC • no taxation on personal income and capital gains

There are no significant restrictions to women doing business in the UAE, and gender discrimination is no more widespread than it is in the West. Indeed women have actually overtaken men in further education participation, and their entrepreneurial activities are on the rise.

This European Company Mission is part of the EAGLE ONE project Launch event held at theCOSME ABCC which has received funding from the European Union’s Programme (2014-2020).

EAGLE ONE aims to enhance cooperation between European trade promotion organisations and the European Commission with the result that there will be an even better trade promotion service available to SMEs. Focusing on trade missions, the project also aims at a greater involvement of SMEs in the internationalisation activities of the European Commission in general.

During 2015 – 2016, the EAGLE project partners from Belgium, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Lithuania and the UK will be organising a series of events/meetings and running joint European company missions to non-EU countries.

Our preferred partners:

ThE prOGrAmmE (subject to change) dATE

ACTiviTy

Saturday 3 September

Depart London Heathrow - Arrive Abu Dhabi

Sunday 4 September

Market briefing by the European Union Delegation to the United Arab Emirates Networking lunch with Abu Dhabi Chamber of Commerce and Industry Meeting with Abu Dhabi Businesswomen Council Travel from Abu Dhabi to Dubai

Monday 5 September

Business event with Dubai Business Women Council Meeting with UK - UAE focused organisations Networking reception

Tuesday 6 September

B2B event organised by Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry

Wednesday 7 September

Transfer to Sharjah B2B event organised by Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry Transfer to Dubai

Thursday 8 September

Transfer from Dubai to Abu Dhabi Depart Abu Dhabi - Arrive London Heathrow

Please note that the above schedule is subject to change.

ThE bENEFiTs OF jOiNiNG This missiON • Pre-visit and in-country briefings providing market information and advice on how to do business in the UAE • Pre-arranged business-to-business meetings in Dubai organised by Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry • Pre-arranged business-to-business meetings in Sharjah organised by Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry • Networking with members of the Abu Dhabi Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Abu Dhabi Businesswomen Council and Dubai Business Women Council • Networking opportunities and client hospitality at the business reception • Networking with joint minded businesses from Belgium, Greece, Hungary, Italy and Lithuania who are also part of this European mission • Your company profile in the trade mission brochure, circulated to companies in the UAE • Services of an experienced mission manager before and during the visit • Discounted flights courtesy of Ethihad Airways • Competitive accommodation costs through group travel rates.

ThE COsTs • Participation fee: £150 (NB there is a discounted rate of £100 for LCCI Premier Plus Members).

TrAvEL • Competitive flight and accommodation costs through group travel rates • You can make your own travel arrangements but it is highly recommended that you stay in the mission hotels in order to make the most of the networking opportunities. For detailed information on travel and accommodation, please refer to the full application pack.

ELiGibiLiTy To participate in this trade mission, your business must be established within the UK and selling or marketing a british product or service.

Priority will be given to female entrepreneurs and women in business.

hOW TO AppLy For the full application pack, please contact the Mission Manager: Vanessa Vlotides, Head of International Business Team, London Chamber of Commerce and Industry. E: eagle@londonchamber.co.uk, T: +44 (0)20 7203 1838.

6820/30/012015

Applications are subject to approval by LCCI and you will be notified after the closing date for applications as to whether you have been successful.

ECONOMIC FOCUS CHAMBER NEWS

New members of the chamber Afana Holding Co for Investment

6th Floor, AlZaffer Tower Remal Gaz, Gaza Contact: Mr Alaa Afana Tel: +970 5995 00455 Email: alaa@afana-holding.com Activities: Specialising in import/export of frozen beef, fish, seafood, vegetables and livestock, it is the biggest distributor of frozen food in Palestine

AR 18 Limited

Bay B C & D Bridgeworks, Iver Lane Uxbridge, Middlesex, UB8 2JG Tel: +44(0)1895- 237 183 Email: russell@ar18.co.uk Website: www.ar18.co.uk Activities: Manufacturer of bespoke furniture and architectural products

BBS Group

The Willows, 13 Oakhurst Gardens London E17 Contact: Dr Fazal Mahmood Tel: +44(0)20-8521 7299 Email: doctor@bbsconsultants.net Website: www.consultants.net Activities: International Export/Import

Beta Securities SA

29 Alexandras Ave, GR Athens 114 73 Athens Tel: +30 210 64 78 900 Fax: +30 210 64 10 139 Website: wwww.beta.gr Activities: BETA acts as the clearing broker of Bank of Attica, using the bank’s network of branches all over Greece, further expanding its retail operations

BLS Media Limited

Unit 5 Hilton Grove, 14 Southgate Road London, N1 3LY Contact: Mr Sam Hussain Tel: +44(0)20-7241 1589 Email: sam@blsmedia.co.uk Website: www.blsmedia.co.uk Activities: Specialist media and communications, active in publishing, display media, events and digital

Bond English

Flat 13 Heritage House, 42 Chase Side London N14 5BT Contact: Mr Neil Dunn Tel: +44(0)20-8938 3743 Email: neil@bondenglish.com Website: www.bondenglish.com Activities: Tutoring, Academic Consulting, Academic English

Bowden Jones Limited

22 Park Place, Penarth South Glamorgan CF64 3RL Contact: Mr Faris Dean Tel: +44(0)29-2048 4550 Fax: +44(0)29-2023 1905 Email: fdean@bowdenjones.co.uk Website: www.bowdenjones.co.uk Activities: Solicitors specialising in corporate and commercial law, cyber security, commercial litigation and property

British Bangladesh Chamber of Women Entrepreneurs

14 Polegate Luton Bedfordshire LU2 8AJ Contact: Mrs Monojaha Polly Islam Tel: +44(0)7865-075572 Email: polly.islam@hotmail.com Website: www.bbcwe.com Activities: Support for women in business and aspiring entrepreneurs, delivering training and links with support agencies

Corporate Translations Limited

Wyndhams Croft Whiteditch Lane Newport Essex CB11 3UD Tel: +44(0)1799-541666 Email: info@corporatetranslations.co.uk Website: www.corporatetranslations. co.uk Activities: Translation, typesetting, graphic design, legalisation and visa service

Distinctive Publishing Limited

Floor B Miburn House Dean Street Newcastle Upon Tyne NE1 1LE Contact: John Neilson Tel: 0845 8842 343 Email: john.neilson@distinctivegroup.co.uk Website: www.distinctivepublishing.co.uk Activities: Publishers, web development, design and social media

European Agencies IND. & Maritime Works

24 ElFanarat Street, Portwfik 44/45 Suez, Egypt Contact: Mr Saif Sharaf Tel: +201 2111 05013 Email: saif@eamw.net Website: www.eamw.net Activities: Marine Personal Safety, and Rescue Equipment: Life rafts, Lifeboats, Rescue Boats, Fixed fire systems, Lifebuoys, Lifejackets, Fire Extinguishers, Breathing Apparatus, IMO Safety Signs

Fenix Group UK Limited

2 Nelson House, Western Avenue London, N5 1HB Contact: Mrs Sada Al-Janabi Tel: +44(0)20-3726 1800 Email: sada@fenixgroupuk.com Website: www.fenixgroupuk.com Activities: Oil & Gas, Construction, Power and Manpower Contracts

Grabmass Limited

1 Blenheim Close London, N21 2HQ Contact: Mr Suleiman Giornazi Tel: +44(0)7272 7021 Email: grabmass@tiscali.co.uk Activities: Forwarding agent / exports

Hoda Lasheen Interior Design Limited 14 Basil Street, Knightsbridge London Tel: +44(0)20-3755 3512 Email: info@hodalasheen.com Website: www.hodalasheen.com Activities: Interior Design Services

Innovative Systems Incorporated

10th Floor, 30 Crown Place London, EC2A 4EB Tel: +44(0)20-7463 1000 Email: info@innovativesystems.com Website: www.innovativesystems.com Activities: Provider of enterprise data quality, data management, risk management and anti-money laundering (AML) software and services

Kellogg Brown & Root Limited Milton House Springfield Drive, Leatherhead Surrey, KT22 7NL Contact: Mr Joseph Walker-Cousins Tel: +44(0)1372-865 952 Email: joseph.walker-cousins@kbr.com Website: www.kbruk.co.uk Activities: Project management, engineering, procurement and construction, logistics, services and training

London Centre of International Law Practice Second Floor Gray’s Inn Chambers 19-21 High Holborn London WC1R 5JA Contact: Mr Martin Wilson Tel: +44(0)20-7404 5029 Email: m.wilson@lcilp.org Website: www.lcilp.org Activities: Legal Services, Legal Consultancy, Legal Training and Events

Long Rock Capital Limited

1 Cornhill London EC3V 3ND Contact: Ms Catherine Sun Tel: +44(0)3713-1297 Email: enquiries@longrockcapital.co.uk Website: www.longrockcapital.co.uk Activities: Global hedge fund, managing assets across a number of diversified strategies for institutional investors and high net worth individuals

Multifarious Engineering Limited

243 Hornchurch Road Hornchurch Essex RM12 4TG Contact: Mr Hassan Mohammad Tel: +44(0)170-8507 181 Fax: +44(0)170-8507 971 Email: hello@multifarious.co Website: www.multifarious.co Activities: Business development with a focus on helping UK based firms gain entry and export to the construction market in Saudi Arabia

ARAB-BRITISH CHAMBER OF COMMERCE 81

Neuberger Berman Europe Limited

Renewable Energy and Technology Transfer

Peter Morris Research and Development Limited

Ruby Boutique

1 Long Street Tetbury, Gloucestershire GL8 8AA Contact: Mr Peter Morris Tel: +44(0)1285-644 508 Email: pmorris@pvohpolymers.co.uk Activities: Consultancy and development of polymers

PO Box 21 Jeddah 21411 Tel: +966 5 938 22223 Email: moniraalmulla@gmail.com Website: http://rubyboutique. myfreesites.net Activities: Boutique handmade fashion jewellery design

PFU (EMEA) Limited

Thales UK Limited

4th Floor Lansdowne House 57 Berkeley Square London W1J 6ER Tel: +44(0)20-3214 9000 Email: imene.boumalala@nb.com Website: www.nb.com Activities: Investment firm, manager of equities, fixed income, private equity and hedge fund portfolios for global institutions

Hayes Park Central Hayes End Road Hayes, Middlesex UB4 8FE Contact: Mr Matthew Beavis Tel: +44(0)20-8573 4444 Fax: +44(0)20-8573 2643 Email: matthew.beavis@uk.fujitsu.com Website: www.fujitsu.com/uk/products/ computing/ Activities: Manufacture, sales, marketing and support of Fujitsu branded

Power & Action

16 Cowper Way Reading, Berkshire RG30 3EA Contact: Mrs Nadine Demontfaucon Tel: +44(0)777 971 6536 Email: info@nadineandnadia.com Website: www.nadineandnadia.com Activities: Coaching to enhance selfawareness and leadership skills through courses available in English, Arabic, French, Spanish and Russian

Privida Limited

1C Northsand Centre Sunderland SR6 0QA Contact: Mr Omozaphue Akalumhe Tel: +44(0)191-908 5632 Email: o.akalumhe@prividaenergy.com Website: prividaenergy.com

PTS Consultancy FZC SAIF Office P8-05-53 PO Box 121414 Sharjah, UAE Tel: + 971 561 636757 Email: db@ptsgp.co.uk Website: www.ptsgp.co.uk Activities: Logistics company supplying life support facilities and all aspects of security in Southern Iraq

2 Dashwood Lang Road The Bourne Business Park Addlestone Surrey KT15 2NX Tel: +44(0)1932 824937 Fax: +44(0)1932 824922 Email: ann.pym@thalesgroup.com Website: www.thalesgroup.com/uk Activities: Expertise in intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition and reconnaissance (ISTAR)

Uniquip-Hoelscher LLC

Office 13 Top Floor Souq Al Sulaiman Building Salwa Road PO Box 5673 Doha Qatar Tel: +974 44271124 Email: secretary@uniquip-hoelscher.com Website: www.uniquip-hoelscher.com Activities: Dewatering, groundwater management, drilling, water treatment and advanced PLC control technologies

Associate Member Mr Usman Khalid

Birkbeck College University of London 26 Endersleigh Gardens London NW4 4SD Tel: +44(0)795 8277784 Email: mani@barnetcallum.com

ABCC Services

The Arab-British Chamber of Commerce offers a wide range of services for companies to help them do business. The services range from documentation for exporters to ease their access to markets, customised research, business briefings, networking opportunities to translation and visa services. Discount rates are available for members of the Chamber.

Trade Services Department The Chamber’s unique Export Documentation service is an important asset to Arab-British trade. With our extensive experience, we are ideally positioned to assist exporters entering the substantial and sophisticated Arab market, encompassing all your certification and legalisation needs.

It is essential when exporting to present the correct documentation as errors can be very expensive, leading to costly delays in payment and in clearing the goods, and even to non-payment.

The documentation service includes: l

Export Documentation Service

l

Direct Member Documentation

l

EUR1 (members)

l

FCO Service

l

Notary Service

l

A-Cert Electronic Documentation Process

l

Visa Service (A-BCC members’ only)

l

Express Service for Emergency Documentation.

l

A daily courier service to other destinations, Turkey, Egypt, Iran and Argentina.

l

Market Entry Report / Research

Training Courses The Chamber also provides various training courses to assist companies with their business. These include cultural awareness, language courses and courses relating to export procedures. l

International trade training programmes

l

Business training programmes

l

Arabic language training at various levels

Venue Hire The Chamber’s fully equipped venue options are customised to meet all requirements for your AGMs, Board Meetings, Conferences, Presentations, Trade Shows, Exhibitions, Workshops, Lectures, Product Launches and Professional Development Seminars. For venue hire enquiries please contact Omar Bdour email: omar@abcc.org.uk; tel: +44 (0)20 7659 4860.

CONTACT Cliff Lawrence, Deputy Manager, Trade Services Arab-British Chamber of Commerce e: Cliff.lawrence@abcc.org.uk t: +44(0)20-7659-4881

www.abcc.org.uk

ARAB-BRITISH CHAMBER OF COMMERCE 83

ADVERTORIAL

Stop pinching your customers and start keeping them

We can all recognise how important it is for companies to take a strong approach when addressing customer loyalty. It’s all about building the relationship between the brand and the customer, which is not always easy to do, especially with consumer behaviour becoming more and more difficult to read.

According to a recent survey by Verint (info.verint.com/LP=2418), there were three common reasons customers give for switching brands: cheaper pricing, a bad customer service experience, and mistakes that have been made which have not been quickly corrected.

Having a great product will, as you know, help immeasurably with that first reason —if your customers believe you have the best product around, they won’t mind paying a little extra for the quality.

Training your staff to provide great customer service is obviously vital, but giving them the tools they need to provide this service is equally important.

Similar tools and training will also help your team build lasting relationships with your customers.

And it’s these two points where a CRM system can really make the difference to your customer retention strategy.

Building a strong relationship with each of your customers starts with basic organisation and we all know CRM systems were built for this exact reason.

You have all your customers’ details to hand, you know the last time you were

in touch with them and when you’re planning on calling them next. This data gives your team the information they need to start building a relationship with your customers.

But there is a lot of other information your company holds on your customers, most of which is going to be siloed away, available only to certain departments. This is where a good CRM system, like OpenCRM, can help you go the extra mile.

There are some obvious examples for how a very broad and deep CRM can make a real difference: only your marketing team knows who’s interested in a new product, only accounts knows when someone is paying on time, and only the support team knows when a customer isn’t happy with a product.

Imagine if your sales team could see that the person they’re about to call is having some trouble with a feature or has been engaging with that latest marketing email. They could offer some free training as a gesture of goodwill or bring up that new product you’re in the process of launching, maybe even offering an early bird discount because

they’ve paid their last three invoices early?

It’s these simple gestures that tell your customers that your team is interested in them and invested in building that relationship. It also makes them feel special, supported, and valued.

Using a CRM system that fully integrates with all of your departments will give you a rich, detailed, and most importantly full history of your customers’ dealings with you.

By being able to manage the whole breadth of your customers’ experience with your company, you can better understand where the pain points are, addressing these issues before your customers even consider shopping around for a new provider.

If you have any questions about OpenCRM, please get in touch. I would love to hear from you. Find us at www.opencrm.co.uk or drop us a line at hello@opencrm.co.uk Graham Anderson, is the CEO and founder of OpenCRM, one of the UK’s leading customer relationship management systems.

ECONOMIC FOCUS CHAMBER NEWS

ARAB-BRITISH CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

87

@SignorSassi priVaTe rooM aVailaBle

14 Knightsbridge Green, London SW1X 7QL signorsassi@sancarlo.co.uk | T: 0207 584 2277 W W W. s i g n o r s a s s i . c o . u k

Aldo Zilli now part of the San Carlo team

@CicchettiLondon

Cicchetti Covent Garden, 30 Wellington St, London WC2E 7BD | T: 020 7240 6339 215 PICCADILLY, London, W1J 9HL piccadillycicchetti@sancarlo.co.uk | T: 0207 4949435 W W W. s a n c a r l o c i c c h e T T i . c o . u k

Winner of TWenTy TWo presTigious aWards London_Business_Matters.indd 4

17/10/2014 11:27

‫ ‬

‫‪ARAB-BRITISH CHAMBER OF COMMERCE 85‬‬

‫• املوســيقى والرقــص والفنــون املرسحيــة والدرامــا‪.‬‬ ‫الكليــات امللكيــة الريطانيــة للموســيقى و‪ /‬أو‬ ‫الدرامــا هــي‪:‬‬ ‫ األكادميية امللكية للموسيقى‬‫ الكلية امللكية للموسيقى‬‫ الكلية امللكية الشالية للموسيقى‬‫ األكادميية امللكية للفنون املرسحية‬‫ األكادمييــة االســكتلندية امللكيــة للموســيقى‬‫والدرامــا‬ ‫ املجلس الوطني للدراما التدريب‬‫• التمريــض‪ ،‬والقبالــة‪ ،‬والعــاج الطبيعــي والرعايــة‬ ‫ا لصحية‬ ‫• تصفيف الشعر‬ ‫• مجلة التجارة ملصففي الشعر‬

‫الروحــي (‪ ،)spiritual healing‬وتقنيــات تــاي تيش‬ ‫(‪ ،)T‘ai Chi‬وطــب الذبذبــات (‪flower and gem‬‬ ‫‪ ،)remedies‬وتقنيــات اليوغــا (‪yoga(. Aroma-‬‬ ‫‪therapy Organisations Council‬‬

‫• دورات الدراســات العليــا ماجســتر يف إدارة‬ ‫األعــال‬

‫• الحوســبة وتكنولوجيــا املعلومــات (‪،)IT‬‬ ‫واالتصــاالت‬

‫• قطاع األعال واإلدارة‬

‫• النفط وصناعة الغاز‬ ‫• النرش والصحافة‬ ‫• البيع بالتجزئة‬ ‫• تجارة التجزئة‬ ‫• أعال السكرتارية واملكاتب‬

‫• قطاع رعاية األطفال‬

‫• قطاع الهندسة‬

‫• مؤهــات لوظائــف يف مجــال رعايــة الطفــل‬ ‫والتمريــض يف دور الحضانــة‬

‫• قطاع األزياء واملابس‬

‫• قطــاع الرعايــة االجتاعيــة‪ ،‬وتقديــم املشــورة‪،‬‬ ‫واإلســكان‬

‫• قطاع الفنادق والضيافة والرفيه واملطاعم‬

‫• الرياضة‪ ،‬واللياقة البدنية والرفيه‬

‫• مجال القانون‬

‫• قطاع التدريس‬

‫• مجال التسويق واإلعان‬

‫• القطاع التطوعي‬

‫• العاجات التكميلية‬ ‫وتشــمل دورات العــاج التكميــي مبــا يف ذلــك‪:‬‬ ‫عــاج الوخــز باإلبــر (‪ ،)acupuncture‬وتقنيــة‬ ‫الكســندر (‪ ،)Alexander Technique‬والعــاج‬ ‫بالروائــح (‪ ،)aromatherapy‬والعــاح بأســلوب‬ ‫بيتــس (‪ ،)Bates Method‬والعــاج بأســلوب‬ ‫(‪ ،)Bowen technique‬وعاجــات بتقويــم العمــود‬ ‫الفقــري (‪ ،)chiropractic‬العاج باأللــوان (‪colour‬‬ ‫‪ ،)therapy‬العــاج بالبلــور (‪،)crystal healing‬‬ ‫وطــب األعشــاب (‪ ،)herbal medicine‬وعاجــات‬ ‫الطــب البديــل (‪ ،)homeopathy‬والعــاج بالتنويم‬ ‫املغناطيــي (‪ ،)hypnotherapy‬العــاج بالتدليــك‪،‬‬ ‫والعــاج الطبيعــي (‪naturopathy & mas-‬‬ ‫‪ ،)sage‬والعــاج الغــذايئ (‪،)nutritional therapy‬‬ ‫وعاجــات العظــام (‪ ،)osteopathy‬وعاجــات‬ ‫التفكــر (‪ ،)reflexology‬عاجــات الريــي (‪rei-‬‬ ‫‪ ،)ki‬عــاج شياتســو (‪ ،)shiatsu‬وعاحــات الشــفاء‬

‫• وســائل اإلعــام‪ ،‬والوســائط املتعــددة‪ ،‬واإلذاعــة‬ ‫والســينا والفيديــو‬ ‫• مجــال الطــب وعلــم النفــس وطــب األســنان‬ ‫والطــب البيطــري والجراحــة‬ ‫طــب األســنان أطبــاء األســنان‪ :‬يقــدم معلومــات‬ ‫عــن أطبــاء األســنان املؤهلــن عــن العمــل يف‬ ‫اململكــة املتحــدة‪ ،‬والتدريــب الرسيــري أو أخصــايئ‪،‬‬ ‫أو الــدورات للحصــول عــى درجــة الدراســات‬ ‫العليــا يف اململكــة املتحــدة‪ .‬األطبــاء‪NACPME :‬‬ ‫(مركــز املشــورة وطنيــة للتعليــم الطبــي الدراســات‬ ‫العليــا) يقــدم خدمة املعلومــات لألطبــاء يف الخارج‬ ‫املؤهلــن يف الخــارج والذيــن يرغبــون يف الحصــول‬ ‫عــى التدريــب يف اململكــة املتحــدة‪.‬‬

‫أخذ بترف من املصادر التالية‪-:‬‬ ‫‪Vocational Training in the UK‬‬ ‫‪http://www.cavc.ac.uk/en/international/‬‬ ‫‪our-international-programmes/vocational‬‬‫‪/training‬‬ ‫* التعليم والتدريب املهني‬ ‫‪Vocational Education and training‬‬ ‫‪http://www.abahe.co.uk/terminologies‬‬‫‪vocational-education-and-training.html‬‬ ‫* التعليم والتدريب املهني يف بريطانيا‬ ‫‪http://uqu.edu.sa/files2/tiny_mce/pl...81711/‬‬ ‫‪EXP5.pdf‬‬

‫‪ECONOMIC FOCUS CHAMBER NEWS‬‬

‫ولتحقيــق النجــاح و الحصــول عــى املؤهــل املهني‪،‬‬ ‫يجــب عــى املتقــدم أن يثبــت جدارتــه التنافســية‬ ‫يف إنجــاز وظيفتــه التخصصيــة وفقــا للمســتويات‬ ‫الوظيفيــة القوميــة ‪National Occupational‬‬ ‫‪ ،Standards‬التــي تصــف القياســيات املتوقعــة‬ ‫مــن أي دور وظيفــي‪ ،‬و عــادة يعمــل املتقــدم‬ ‫عــى إبــراز إنجازاتــه يف العمــل املدفــوع األجــر‬ ‫أو التطوعــي‪ .‬عــى ســبيل املثــال‪ :‬إذا كان املتقــدم‬ ‫شــخص يعمــل يف دور املــرشف اإلداري‪ ،‬فإنــه ســينال‬ ‫الشــهادة الوطنيــة يف األعــال واإلدارة‪Business and‬‬ ‫‪.Administration‬‬ ‫وهنــاك خمســة مســتويات مــن املؤهــات املهنيــة‬ ‫الوطنيــة بــدءا ً مــن املســتوى األول‪ ،‬والــذي يركــز‬ ‫عــى أنشــطة العمــل األساســية‪ ،‬وإنتهــاءا ً إىل‬ ‫املســتوى الخامــس لــإدارة العليــا‪.‬‬ ‫املســتوى األول ‪ ،Level 1‬وهــو املســتوى الروتينــي‬ ‫املعتــاد للمبتــدئ ولديــه صاحيــات تطبيــق املعرفة‬ ‫يف أداء مجموعــة مــن أنشــطة العمــل املختلفــة‪،‬‬ ‫معظمهــا روتينيــة وميكــن التنبــؤ بهــا‪.‬‬ ‫املســتوى الثــاين ‪ ،Level 2‬وهــو العمــل يف مســتوى‬ ‫أكــر تعقيــدا ً وتحــت اإلرشاف‪ ،‬حيــث يتأهــل‬ ‫املوظــف بصاحيــات تطبيــق املعــارف يف مجموعــة‬ ‫كبــرة مــن أنشــطة العمــل املختلفــة‪ ،‬والتــي تنفــذ‬ ‫يف ســياقات متنوعــة بالتعــاون مــع آخريــن‪ ،‬وغالبــا‬ ‫مــا يشــرط العمــل ضمــن مجموعــة أو فريــق‬ ‫عمــل‪.‬‬

‫املســتوى الثالــث ‪ ،Level 3‬وأهــم مســؤوليات‬ ‫املســتوى الثالــث هــي اإلرشاف و اإلدارة ضمــن‬ ‫فريــق العمــل‪ ،‬حيــث يتأهــل املوظــف بالصاحيات‬ ‫التــي تنطــوي عــى تطبيــق املعــارف يف مجموعــة‬ ‫واســعة مــن أنشــطة العمــل املختلفــة التــي تنفــذ‬ ‫طائفــة واســعة مــن الســياقات‪ ،‬معظمهــا معقــدة‬ ‫وغــر روتينيــة‪ ،‬وعليــه مســؤوليات كبــرة تتطلــب‬ ‫الحكــم الــذايت مــع الســيطرة أو التوجيــه مــن‬ ‫آخريــن‪.‬‬ ‫املســتوى الرابــع ‪ ،Level 4‬وأهــم مســؤوليات‬ ‫املســتوى الثــاين مــن اإلرشاف هــي اإلدارة‬ ‫ضمــن فريــق العمــل‪ ،‬حيــث يتأهــل املوظــف‬ ‫بالصاحيــات التــي تنطــوي عــى تطبيــق املعــارف‬ ‫يف مجموعــة واســعة مــن أنشــطة العمــل املعقــدة‬ ‫تقني ـاً أو مهني ـاً التــي تنفــذ يف ســياقات متنوعــة‪،‬‬ ‫ويكــون املوظــف عــى درجــة كبــرة من املســؤولية‬ ‫الشــخصية واالســتقالية يف اإلرشاف عــى تشــغيل و‬ ‫إدارة كلٍ مــن فريــق العمــل و املــوارد‪ ،‬و يكافــئ‬ ‫هــذا املســتوى درجــة علميــة مبســتوى شــهادات‬ ‫التعليــم العــايل ‪Certificates of Higher Educa-‬‬ ‫‪ ،tion‬مثــل البكالوريــوس وأحيانــا الدبلــوم العــايل‬ ‫‪.Diplomas of Higher Education‬‬ ‫املســتوى الخامــس ‪ ،Level 5‬وهــي مســتوى‬ ‫مســؤوليات األول مــن اإلرشاف و اإلدارة عــى‬ ‫فريــق العمــل ككل‪ ،‬والصاحيــات يف هــذا املســتوى‬ ‫تنطــوي عــى تطبيــق مجموعــة معقــدة مــن‬ ‫املبــادئ األساســية‪ ،‬عــر مجموعــة واســعة وغــر‬ ‫متوقعــة يف كثــر مــن األحيــان مــن ســياقات‬

‫العمــل‪ ،‬مــع مســؤولية كبــرة مــن الحكــم الــذايت‬ ‫الشــخيص ألعــال اآلخريــن‪ ،‬و تحمــل مســؤوليات‬ ‫إدارة و تشــغيل كل املــوارد‪ ،‬و هــو واجهــة‬ ‫امل ُســاءلة الشــخصية ألغـراض التحليل والتشــخيص‪،‬‬ ‫والتصميــم والتنفيــذ والتخطيــط والتقييــم‪ ،‬و هــذا‬ ‫املســتوى الوظيفــي يكافــئ درجــة علميــة مبســتوى‬ ‫املاجســتر ‪ Master‘s‬أو الدكتــوراه ‪.Doctorate‬‬ ‫وعمومـاً فــإن الكليــات الوســيطة وكليــات التعليــم‬ ‫اإلضافيــة والكليــات الفنيــة متشـــابهة مـــن حيـــث‬ ‫الجوهــر ومصممــة ملــن تزيــد أعارهــم عــى ‪16‬‬ ‫ســنة‪ ،‬ويصنــف تعليــم مــن تركــوا املدرســـة إلـــى‬ ‫مســتوين‪ :‬إضــايف نهــايئ‪ ،‬وتــدرس فيــه مقــررات‬ ‫تؤهــل إىل الشــهادة العامــة للتعليــم‪ ،‬مســتوى‬ ‫متقــدم ميهــد للتعليــم العــايل ويطــرح مقــررات‬ ‫أعــى تقــدم يف الجامعــات أو الكليــات أو املعاهــد‪.‬‬ ‫مجــاالت وفــروع التعليــم املهنــي يف اململكــة‬ ‫املتحــدة‪:‬‬ ‫• الزراعة والتزين بالزهور والبيئة‬ ‫• الفــن والتصميــم والتصويــر وتصميــم الحدائــق‪:‬‬ ‫يعنــى باملهــارات اإلبداعيــة والثقافيــة‬ ‫• الخدمــات املرفيــة‪ ،‬والتأمــن‪ ،‬والتمويــل‪،‬‬ ‫والخدمــات املاليــة‪ ،‬واملحاســبة‬ ‫• الجــال وتصفيــف الشــعر ‪ -‬املؤسســة املســؤولة‬ ‫عــن التدريــب‬ ‫• العاج التجميي (مبا يف ذلك تجميل األظافر)‬

‫ ‬

‫‪ARAB-BRITISH CHAMBER OF COMMERCE 87‬‬

‫التعليــم مــا بعــد الثانــوي‪ .‬ويف عــام ‪ ،1975‬أنشــئت‬ ‫الكليــة الجامعيــة يف بكنجهــام وهــي آخــر جامعــة‬ ‫بريطانيــة مســتقلة أنشــئت حديثــاً‪ .‬وبــدأت‬ ‫هــذه الجامعــة متنــح طابهــا شــهادات تعــادل‬ ‫الشــهادات التــي متنحهــا الجامعــات األخــرى‪.‬‬ ‫تخــرج الكليــة الجامعيــة يف بكنجهــام عــن النظــام‬ ‫املــايل العــادي للواليــة‪ ،‬ولكــن‪ ،‬يف عــام ‪ ،1981‬أصبح‬ ‫بإمــكان طابهــا الحصــول عــى منــح تعليميــة مــن‬ ‫الســلطات املحليــة‪.‬‬ ‫وتطــورت كليّــات التقنيــات املتعــددة برسعــة خال‬ ‫الثانينيــات مــن القــرن العرشيــن‪ .‬ســجل عــدد‬ ‫مــن الطــاب يســاوي املســجلن يف الجامعــات‪،‬‬ ‫أنفســهم يف كل ّيــات التقنيــات املتعــددة للحصــول‬ ‫عــى الدرجــات العلميــة وذلــك يف نهايــة مثانينيــات‬ ‫القــرن العرشيــن‪ .‬كانت كل ّيــات التقنيــات املتعددة‬ ‫حتــى عــام ‪ 1988‬تخضــع للســلطات الربويــة‬ ‫املحليــة‪ ،‬ويف ذلــك العــام‪ ،‬صــدر قـرار تربــوي بــأن‬ ‫يكــون لكليــات التقنيات املتعــددة جهازهــا اإلداري‬ ‫الخــاص بهــا‪ ،‬وأن تتســلم مخصصاتهــا املاليــة مــن‬ ‫االعتــادات املاليــة ملجلــس التقنيــات املتعــددة‬ ‫والكليــات‪.‬‬ ‫ويف مرحلــة الثانينيــات و التســعينيات‪ ،‬عــززت‬ ‫حكومــة املحافظــن خطــة تدريــب الشــباب مــن‬ ‫خــال خطــة “‪،”Youth Training Scheme‬‬ ‫وجعــل املؤهــات املهنيــة الوطنيــة العامــة‪،‬‬

‫واملؤهــات املهنيــة الوطنيــة ‪General National‬‬ ‫‪ ،Vocational Qualifications‬متاحــة للشــباب‬ ‫وغرهــم مــن الراغبــن‪.‬‬ ‫ويف عــام ‪ ،1992‬ألغــى قانــون التعليــم العــايل‬ ‫التمييــز بــن الجامعــات والكليــات التقنيــة‪ .‬وأصبح‬ ‫لكليــات التقنيــة مبقتــى هــذا القانــون الحــق يف‬ ‫منــح الدرجــات العلميــة الخاصــة بهــا بــل واتخــاذ‬ ‫لقــب الجامعــة‪ .‬فعــى ســبيل املثــال اســتبدل‬ ‫بكليــات نيوكاســل التقنيــة اســم جامعــة نورمثريــا‬ ‫حــل مجلــس‬ ‫يف نيوكاســل‪ .‬ويف مــارس ‪ ،1993‬تــ ّم ّ‬ ‫املنــح األكادمييــة الوطنيــة‪ ،‬وانتقلــت صاحياتــه إىل‬ ‫الجهــات األكادمييــة املختلفــة‪.‬‬ ‫وبذلــت الحكومــات الريطانيــة املتعاقبــة محاوالت‬ ‫لتعزيــز وتوســيع نظــام التعليــم املهنــي‪ .‬ففــي عــام‬ ‫‪ 1994‬قُدمــت أنظمــة التدريــب الحديثــة املمولــة‬ ‫مــن القطــاع العــام لتوفــر “تدريــب جيــد عــى‬ ‫أســاس تعليمــي”‪ ،‬وقــد تزايــدت أعــداد املتدربــن‬ ‫يف الســنوات األخــرة‪ ،‬وأعلنــت إدارة املــدارس‬ ‫واألطفــال واألرس عزمهــا عــى جعــل “التدريــب‬ ‫املهنــي”‪ ،‬جــزءا ً أوليـاً ومحوريـاً مــن نظــام التعليــم‬ ‫يف إنجل ـرا يف القــرن الواحــد و العرشيــن‪.‬‬ ‫وارتبطــت أهميــة التعليــم والتدريــب املهنــي يف‬ ‫اململكــة املتحــدة بقصة انحــدار بريطانيــا وتراجعها‬ ‫كدولــة عظمــى مقارنة بالواليــات املتحــدة واليابان‪.‬‬

‫فقــد اتضح ألصحــاب القـرار يف اململكــة املتحدة أن‬ ‫مــن بــن أســباب تراجــع بريطانيــا كقــوة اقتصاديــة‬ ‫صناعيــة إىل عــدم اهتامهــا بالتدريــب املهنــي‪،‬‬ ‫األمــر الــذي حــدا بأصحــاب القــرار هنــاك إىل‬ ‫التأكيــد عــى رضورة تنشــيط وتحفيــز هــذا النــوع‬ ‫مــن التعليــم والتدريــب عــى املســتوى املحــي‪.‬‬

‫معهد التعليم‬ ‫التكنولوجي‪:‬‬

‫يعتمــد معهــد التعليــم التكنولوجــي نظــام تعليمي‬ ‫مطبــق يف كثــر مــن املؤسســات التعليميــة ومينــح‬ ‫درجــات علميــة يف مســتويات مختلفــة مــن النظــم‬ ‫التعليميــة‪ ،‬و قــد يكــون أحــد املؤسســات العامليــة‬ ‫الشــهرة للتعليــم العــايل‪ ،‬والهندســة املتطــورة‬ ‫والبحــث العلمــي أو التعليــم املهنــي الــذي يتصــف‬ ‫مبهنيــة متخصصــة يف مجــاالت العلــوم والتكنولوجيا‬ ‫والهندســة‪ ،‬أو أنــواع مختلفــة مــن املــواد التقنيــة‪.‬‬

‫ومينــح املعهــد شــهادة الدبلــوم الوطنــي العــايل‬ ‫“‪ ،”Higher National Diploma HND‬وهــو‬ ‫مؤهــل للتعليــم العــايل يف اململكــة املتحــدة‬ ‫وجمهوريــة أيرلنــدا‪ .‬وميكــن اســتخدام هــذه‬ ‫املؤهــات لالتحــاق بالجامعــات‪ ،‬و يعــادل هــذا‬ ‫الدبلــوم مســتوى الســنة الثانيــة مــن دراســة‬ ‫جامعيــة ملــدة ثــاث ســنوات‪.‬‬

‫‪ECONOMIC FOCUS CHAMBER NEWS‬‬

‫أمــا التقييــم التقليــدي للتعليــم الفنــي فأنــه أقــل يف‬ ‫املســتوى مــن التعليــم العــايل‪ ،‬ولكنــه حاليـاً أصبــح‬ ‫يصنــف عــى انــه ينتمــي جزئيــاً إىل مســتويات‬ ‫التعليــم العــايل ‪ ،Tertiary education‬وبتزايــد‬ ‫التخصــص يف ســوق العمــل زادت املتطلبــات‬ ‫االقتصاديــة ملســتويات أعــى مــن املهــارات‪ ،‬لذلــك‬ ‫توجــه الحكومــات والــرشكات اســتثاراتها بشــكل‬ ‫متزايــد إىل مســتقبل التعليــم املهنــي‪ ،‬مــن خــال‬ ‫مؤسســات التدريــب املمولــة مــن القطــاع العــام‪،‬‬ ‫والتلمــذة الصناعيــة واملدعومة باملبــادرات التدريبية‬ ‫للــرشكات ملســتوى ما بعــد املرحلــة الثانويــة‪ ،‬وعاد ًة‬ ‫مــا يتــم توفــر التعليــم املهنــي مــن قبــل معاهــد‬ ‫التكنولوجيــا ‪ ،Institute of Technology‬أو مــن قبل‬ ‫كليــات املجتمــع املحــي ‪.Community College‬‬ ‫ومبــا أن ســوق العمــل أصبــح أكــر تخصصــاً‬ ‫وأصبحــت النظــم االقتصاديــة تتطلــب مســتويات‬ ‫أعــى من املهــارات لــذا فــإن الحكومــات والرشكات‬ ‫أقبلــت عــى اســتثار التعليــم املهنــي بشــكل‬ ‫متزايــد مــن خــال منظــات التدريــب امل ُمولــة و‬ ‫مــن خــال التدريــب املهنــي امل ُدعــم‪.‬‬ ‫ويف بريطانيــا‪ ،‬تتميــز برامــج التعليــم التخصــيص‬ ‫املهنــي بوضــوح اللغــة وبســاطتها وســهولة فهمهــا‬ ‫واســتيعابها‪ ،‬وخاصــ ًة ألولئــك الذيــن ال تعتــر‬ ‫اللغــة اإلنجليزيــة لغتهــم األم‪ ،‬مــا يســهل التقــدم‬ ‫الــدرايس لجميــع الطــاب يف العمليــة الدراســية‬ ‫والتدريبيــة بســهولة ويــرس‪ ،‬مــا يعــزز ثقتهــم‬ ‫العاليــة بالنفــس وإقبالهــم عــى التحصيــل العلمــي‬ ‫والتــي تؤثــر الحق ـاً بانعــكاس إيجــايب عــى نجــاح‬ ‫الطالــب يف حياتــه العمليــة وموقعــه املهنــي الــذي‬ ‫يصبــو إليــه‪.‬‬

‫تاريﺦ التعليم املهني يف‬ ‫بريطانيا‪:‬‬

‫تعتــر مدرســة “ســتاني للصنائــع الفنيــة ‪Stan-‬‬ ‫‪ ”ley Technical Trades School‬أول مدرســة‬ ‫للصنائــع يف اململكــة املتحــدة حيــث أنشــأ وليــام‬ ‫ســتاني ووضــع الفكــرة األوليــة لهكــذا تعليــم عــام‬ ‫‪ ،1901‬ثــم قــام بتصميــم و بنــاء و إرســاء قواعدهــا‬ ‫املنهجيــة‪ ،‬و ت ـ ّم افتتــاح املدرســة يف عــام ‪ ،1907‬و‬ ‫حاليـاً تعــرف بأكادمييــة هاريــس بجنــوب نــوروود‬ ‫‪.Harris Academy South Norwood‬‬ ‫وخــال القــرن الـــ ‪ 20‬تنوعــت مجــاالت التعليــم‬ ‫املهنــي حيــث أصبحــت تتمثــل اآلن يف بعــض‬ ‫الصناعــات مثــل إدارة األعــال مبختلــف تخصصاتهــا‬ ‫الفرعيــة‪ ،‬والســياحة‪ ،‬والتجــارة والبيع بالتجزئــة (‪Re-‬‬ ‫‪ ،) tail‬وتكنولوجيا املعلومــات (‪Information tech-‬‬ ‫‪ ،)nology‬ومســتحرضات التجميــل (‪)Cosmetics‬‬ ‫والعديــد مــن الخدمــات وكذلــك الحــرف التقليديــة‬ ‫والصناعــات املنزليــة (‪.)Cottage Industries‬‬ ‫ومنــذ أوائــل نشــوء التعليــم املهنــي يف اململكــة‬ ‫املتحــدة‪ ،‬أنشــأ بشــكل مســتقل عــن الدولــة‬ ‫وبالتعــاون مــع هيئــات مثــل هيئــة الجمعيــة‬ ‫امللكيــة للفنــون (‪)Royal Society of Arts- RSA‬‬ ‫الريطانيــة الخاصــة بالتدريــب املهنــي‪ ،‬و هيئــة‬ ‫“املدينــة والنقابــات ‪ ،”City & Guilds‬والهيئــة‬ ‫الخاصــة بإعــداد امتحانــات املــواد التقنيــة‪ .‬وجــاء‬ ‫قانــون التعليــم عــام ‪ 1944‬بقـرار توفــر نظــام ثاﻲﺛ‬ ‫األطـراف يتكــون مــن‪ :‬مــدارس نحويــة ‪Grammar‬‬ ‫‪ ،Schools‬ومــدارس ثانويــة فنيــة‪ ،‬ومــدارس ثانويــة‬ ‫حديثــة‪.‬‬

‫وأُ ﱢسســت الجامعــات التقنيــة بــن عامــي ‪1966‬‬ ‫و‪ 1967‬وحصلــت كليــات التقنيــة العــرش املتقدمــة‬ ‫يف إنجلـرا وويلــز وكلية هريوت ـ واط يف أســكتلندا‬ ‫عــى االع ـراف بهــا بصفتهــا جامعــات‪ .‬وأصبحــت‬ ‫اثنتــان مــن هــذه الكليــات منتميتــن إىل الجامعات‬ ‫القامئــة‪ ،‬وهــا كليــة تشــلي للعلــوم والتقنيــة‪،‬‬ ‫والتــي أصبحــت إحــدى كليــات جامعــة لنــدن‪،‬‬ ‫وكليــة ويلــز للتقنيــة املتقدمــة‪ ،‬والتــي أصبحــت‬ ‫جــزءا ً مــن جامعــة ويلــز‪ .‬أمــا الكليــات التســع‬ ‫األخــرى فقــد أصبحــت جامعــات مســتقلة‪ .‬تركــز‬ ‫هــذه الجامعــات عــى التقنيــة والعلــم التطبيقــي‪،‬‬ ‫وتقــدم أغلبهــا مقــررات يف العلــوم االجتاعيــة‪ .‬إن‬ ‫إحــدى ميــزات هــذه الجامعــات هــي مقــررات‬ ‫الشــطر التــي يتنــاوب عليهــا الطــاب بــن فــريت‬ ‫االنتظــام يف الدراســة النظريــة والتدريــب العمــي‬ ‫يف الصناعــة‪.‬‬ ‫يف بدايــة الســتينيات مــن القــرن العرشيــن‪،‬‬ ‫خصصــت بريطانيــا ‪ 30‬مــن كريــات الكليــات غــر‬ ‫الجامعيــة للتقنيــة والتعليــم اإلضايف لتضـ ّم تقنيات‬ ‫متعــددة‪ .‬وأنشــأت الحكومــة مجلــس املنــح‬ ‫األكادمييــة الوطنيــة‪ ،‬والــذي تقــدم مــن خالــه‬ ‫كليــات التقنيــات املتعــددة وكليــات التعليــم العايل‬ ‫األخــرى‪ ،‬التــي تطــورت مــن كليــات املعلمــن‬ ‫الســابقة ـ برامــج عــى مســتوى الدرجــات العلمية‪،‬‬ ‫وفرصــاً للدراســات العليــا والبحــث العلمــي‪.‬‬ ‫ويف فــرة الســبعينات‪ ،‬تــم تأســيس مجلــس التعليم‬ ‫لألعــال والتكنولوجيــا‪Business and Tech-‬‬ ‫‪ ،nology Education Council‬ليختــص بتقنــن‬ ‫معايــر املســتويات التعليميــة ملرحلتــي التعليــم‬ ‫مــا بعــد الثانــوي والتعليــم العــايل‪ ،‬وخاصــة مرحلــة‬

‫ ‬

‫‪ARAB-BRITISH CHAMBER OF COMMERCE 89‬‬

‫نظام التعليم والتدريب الهني‬ ‫في بريطانيا‬ ‫‪Vocational Education & Training in Britain‬‬ ‫تعريﻒ التعليم املهني‪:‬‬

‫التعليــم املهنــي أو التعليــم والتدريــب املهنــي‪،‬‬ ‫هــو تعليــم غــر أكادميــي‪ ،‬يهتــم بإعــداد املتدربــن‬ ‫واملتعلمــن وتأهيلهــم للوظائــف التــي تعتمــد يف‬ ‫أساســها عــى األنشــطة العمليــة واليدويــة والتــي‬ ‫لهــا عاقــة وثيقــة مبهنــة أو حرفــة معينــة‪ ،‬ومنهــا‬ ‫يجنــي الطالــب الخــرة العمليــة الازمــة يف املهنــة‬ ‫املختــارة‪ .‬وغالبـاً مــا يُشــار إىل التعليــم املهنــي بأنــه‬ ‫تعليــم تقنــي ذلــك ألن امل ُتعلــم أو املتــدرب يصبــح‬ ‫قــادرا ً عــى أن يطــور خراتــه التقنيــة والتكنولوجية‬ ‫بطريقــة مبــارشة‪ .‬وتعتــر املهــارات املهنيــة‬ ‫األساســية رضوريــة وال ميكــن االســتغناء عنهــا‬ ‫لتحقيــق النجــاح يف مؤسســات األعــال الحديثــة‪،‬‬ ‫ويتــم تطويــر تلــك املهــارات بالرافــق مــع املهارات‬ ‫التقنيــة واملعرفــة امل ُتضمنــة‪.‬‬ ‫ويف إنجلــرا وويلــز وأيرلنــدا الشــالية تعــرف‬ ‫نظــم التأهيــل املهنيــة باملؤهــات املهنيــة القوميــة‬ ‫(‪ )NVQs‬والتــي يتــم منحها مــن خــال التقييــم‬ ‫والتدريــب‪ ،‬ويف أســكتلندا تعــرف بالتأهيــل املهنــي‬ ‫االســكتلندي (‪.)SVQ‬‬ ‫وميكــن تصنيــف التعليــم املهنــي وتســميته بـــ‬ ‫“تعليــم املعرفــة اإلجرائيــة “‪ ،‬وهــذا ميكــن أن‬ ‫يتناقــض مــع العلــم التعريفــي النظــري والــذي‬ ‫يســتخدم يف مجــال التعليــم العــايل ولكــن بشــكل‬ ‫علمــي أوســع والــذي قــد يُركــز عــى الناحيــة‬ ‫النظريــة املجردة أكــر مــن تركيــزه عــى الجوانــب‬ ‫التطبيقيــة‪.‬‬

‫التعليــم والتدريــب املهنــي هــو التعليــم املوجــه‬ ‫ملارســة جزئيــة معينــة يف املجــال التطبيقــي‪ ،‬و‬ ‫الــذي يُ ِعــد املتدربــن لعمــل تنفيــذي أو وظائــف‬ ‫عــى مســتويات مختلفــة ســواء يف التجــارة‪ ،‬أو‬ ‫اإلجــادة املهنيــة لحرفــة معينــة‪ ،‬أو موقــع عمــل‬ ‫كفنــي متخصــص‪ ،‬تنســيقي أو تنفيــذي أو ميرس‪ ،‬يف‬ ‫مجــاالت تطبيقيــة مختلفــة؛ مثل‪ :‬الهندســة بشــكل‬ ‫عــام والهندســة املعاريــة‪ ،‬أو املحاســبة والقانــون‪،‬‬ ‫أو الصيدلــة والتمريــض والطــب‪ ،‬أو أي مجــال‬ ‫متعلــق بفنيــات العمــل و جــودة اإلنجــاز‪.‬‬ ‫وتســتند عــادة املهــن الحرفيــة عــى األنشــطة‬ ‫اليدويــة أو العمليــة‪ ،‬املتعــارف عنهــا تقليدي ـاً أنهــا‬ ‫غــر أكادمييــة؛ مثــل أنشــطة التعبئــة و التغليــف‬ ‫للمنتــج‪ ،‬تشــغيل وضبــط األجهــزة؛ حيــث يتعلــق‬ ‫بأعــال تجاريــة‪ ،‬اقتصاديــة محــددة‪ ،‬ويشــار إليهــا‬ ‫أحياناً باســم التعليم الفنــي ‪،Technical education‬‬ ‫واملتــدرب يطــور خراتــه مبــارشة يف مجموعة معينة‬ ‫مــن التقنيــات التنفيذيــة ‪.Executive techniques‬‬ ‫ميكــن أن يكــون التعليــم املهنــي يف املرحلــة‬ ‫الثانويــة‪ ،‬أو مرحلــة مــا بعــد املرحلــة الثانويــة‪،‬‬ ‫أو املســتوى التعليمــي املتقــدم‪ ،‬وميكــن أن يكــون‬ ‫ضمــن نظــام التلمــذة الصناعيــة ‪Apprentice-‬‬ ‫‪ ship‬يف هيئــة متخصصــة‪ ،‬كــا هــو متعــارف عليــه‬ ‫النظــام يف اململكــة املتحــدة‪ .‬وعــى نحــو متزايــد‬ ‫ميكــن أن يُعــرف بالتعليــم املهنــي بأنــه التعليــم‬ ‫قبــل الجامعــي أو التعليــم األكادميــي الجــزيئ ولكنه‬ ‫نــادرا ً مــا يُعتــر يف شــكله الخــاص أن ينــدرج يف‬ ‫إطــار التعريــف التقليــدي للتعليــم الجامعــي‪.‬‬

‫ويختلــف التعليــم املهنــي ( التعليــم الفنــي) عــن‬ ‫التعليــم األكادميــي الــذي يصنــف كعلــم تعريفــي‬ ‫‪ Declarative knowledge‬بحثــي متنامــي‪ ،‬كــا يف‬ ‫مجــال التعليــم األكادميــي البحــت‪ ،‬يف حــن يصنــف‬ ‫التعليــم املهنــي بأنــه تعليــم املعرفــة اإلجرائيــة‬ ‫‪ Procedural knowledge‬املتخصصــة فقــط‪.‬‬ ‫فمث ـاً‪ ،‬هنــاك فــرق بــن مصطلــح‪“ :‬علــم الطــب”‬ ‫والــذي قــد يركــز عــى املعرفــة النظريــة املجــردة‬ ‫‪ Conceptual‬و مصطلــح‪“ :‬مهنــة الطب”‪ ،‬واحســن‬ ‫مثــال عــى هــذا ارتبــاط علــوم “مهنــة التمريــض”‬ ‫(املعرفــة اإلجرائيــة) و “علــم الطــب” (العلــم‬ ‫التعريفــي)‪ .‬ففــي “علــم الطــب” يشــخص الطبيب‬ ‫املــرض طبقــاً للمعرفــة النظريــة‪ ،‬أمــا يف “مهنــة‬ ‫الطــب” تتــم إج ـراءات العــاج و االستشــفاء و مــا‬ ‫يصاحبهــا مــن خدمــات عاجيــة مختلفــة مثــل‬ ‫التمريــض و اإلرشاف الغــذايئ‪ ،‬و آليــات التعقيــم و‬ ‫التخديــر وغرهــا‪.‬‬ ‫ومــن هــذا يتضــح أنــه ال توجــد حــدود فاصلــة بــن‬ ‫“العلــم النظــري” و “تطبيقــات العلــم”‪ ،‬فالعاقــة‬ ‫بينهــا تبادليــة و تكامليــة‪.‬‬ ‫ويف اململكــة املتحــدة يوجد مثاً بعــض التخصصات‬ ‫الهندســية ذات الدقــة العاليــة‪ ،‬يف املواقــع الفنيــة‬ ‫ذات الحساســية العاليــة مثــل املصانــع واملفاعــات‬ ‫النوويــة‪ ،‬والتــي تحتــاج مــن املتــدرب فــرة مــن‬ ‫التلمــذة الصناعيــة تتطلــب ‪ 4-5‬ســنوات‪ ،‬ويتطلــب‬ ‫ذلك دراســة أكادمييــة مبســتوى الشــهادة القوميــة‬ ‫العليــا ‪ HNC‬أو الدبلــوم القوميــة العليــا ‪.HND‬‬

‫‪ECONOMIC FOCUS CHAMBER NEWS‬‬

‫‪ .5‬مراجعــة كيفيــة دعــم الرشكــة ماليــاً (دراســة‬ ‫الجــدوى)‪،‬‬ ‫‪ .6‬مراجعــة لوائــح منظــات األعــال واملؤسســات‬ ‫االستشــارية التــي ميكــن أن تقــدم املســاعدة‪.‬‬ ‫أهــم اإلجـراءات التــي يجــب أن تتخذهــا الجهــات‬ ‫الرســمية لدعــم املنشــآت الصغــرية واملتوســطة‪:‬‬ ‫‪ .1‬محاولــة تخفيــف العقبــات الريوقراطيــة التــي‬ ‫تعيــق منــو قطــاع األعال وجــذب االســتثارات‬ ‫(تســجيل الــرشكات‪ ،‬تقليــل تكاليــف التســجيل)‪،‬‬ ‫‪ .2‬محاولــة تخفيــف العبــئ التنظيمــي عــن القطاع‬ ‫الخــاص (هيكلــة أو إعــادة هيكلة)‪،‬‬ ‫‪ .3‬القيــام برفــع مســتوى الوعــي فيــا يتعلــق‬ ‫بإصــدار الراخيــص واإلج ـراءات األخــرى والتــي‬ ‫يتعــن عــى املســتثمرين التقيــد بهــا‪،‬‬ ‫أهــم القطاعــات التــي ميكــن أن تحتــوي إبــداع‬ ‫الشــباب والشــابات يف البلــدان العربيــة‪:‬‬ ‫• قطــاع املعلومــات والرمجيــات‪ :‬يعتــر واحــد‬ ‫مــن الحلــول األمثــل ملعالجــة مشــكلة البطالــة‪،‬‬ ‫خصوص ـاً وإن هــذه الصناعــة متثــل لغــة العــر‪.‬‬ ‫وهــي أحــد الحلــول لاســتغال املــوارد البرشيــة‬ ‫املتاحــة بأقــل قــدر مــن التكاليــف‪ ،‬يف الوقــت التــي‬ ‫تحقــق عوائــد ربحيــة عاليــة وتســاعد عــى االبتكار‬ ‫واإلبــداع‪ .‬وكل مــا يحتاجــه العمــل يف هــذا القطــاع‬ ‫هــو أشــخاص ذوي خــرة يف تكنولوجيــا املعلومــات‬ ‫يتقنــون اللغــة اإلنجليزيــة‪ ،‬ومكاتــب عريــة توفــر‬ ‫أجهــزة كومبيوتــر متطــورة وخطوط إتصــال رسيعة‬ ‫باإلنرنــت (أمثلــة‪ :‬الهنــد ودول جنوب رشق آســيا)‪.‬‬ ‫• قطــاع الصناعــة والصناعــة التحويليــة‪ :‬خصوص ـاً‬ ‫عــن طريــق رفــع القيمــة املضافــة للمنتجــات‬ ‫الصناعيــة‪ ،‬وزيــادة نســبة املنتجــات الصناعيــة ذات‬ ‫القاعــدة التقنيــة يف إجــايل اإلنتــاج الصناعــي‪ ،‬التي‬ ‫ميكــن أن تتكفــل بهــا عديــد مــن املنشــأت الصغرة‬ ‫وبأيــدي عاملــة وطنيــة‪.‬‬ ‫• مجــال اإلبــداع واالخـراع‪ :‬وهــذه املجــاالت يكــون‬ ‫فيهــا نتــاج الشــخص عائــدا ً لــه ذاتيــاً‪ .‬وهــو مــا‬ ‫يرصــد لــه الكثــر مــن الجهــود والتمويــل يف العــامل‬ ‫املتقــدم‪.‬‬ ‫• رشكات ملكيــة خاصــة وصناديــق اســتثار‪ :‬وهذه‬ ‫املجــاالت متثــل فرص اســتثارية تنتظر أن تســتثمر‬ ‫طاقــات الشــباب والشــابات يف البلــدان العربية‪.‬‬

‫حلول واقرتاحات‪:‬‬ ‫• ينبغــي إنشــاء مركــز وصنــدوق تنميــة ودعــم‬ ‫للمشــأت الصغــرة عــى املســتوى الوطنــي‪ ،‬بفــروع‬ ‫يف كل املــدن والبلــدات‪ ،‬تســاهم فيــه جهــات‬ ‫حكوميــة وغــر حكوميــة خصوصـاً رجــال األعــال‬ ‫واملتمكنــن ماديــاً‪ ،‬إىل جانــب اختصاصيــن يف كل‬ ‫الجوانــب‪.‬‬ ‫• يتــوىل املركــز إعــداد برنامــج توعيــة وتثقيــف‬ ‫للشــباب والشــابات يف البلــدان العربيــة بشــأن‬ ‫فــرص االســتثار الصغــرة املتاحــة‪ ،‬وأهميــة هــذه‬ ‫املنشــأت للعالــة الوطنيــة‪ ،‬وتشــجيع روح املبــادرة‬ ‫واإلبــداع ونــرش ثقافــة العمــل الح ـ ّر يف املجتمــع‪.‬‬ ‫• التنســيق بــن مركــز تنميــة املنشــآت الصغــرة‬ ‫واملتوســطة مــع غــرف التجــارة (والصناعــة)‬ ‫الوطنيــة مــن جهــة وبــن املركــز والجهــات الدوليــة‬ ‫املختصــة مثــل‪ :‬مكتــب منظمــة األمــم املتحــدة‬ ‫لرويــج االســتثار والتكنولوجيــا‪ ،‬وبرنامــج اإلمنــاء‬ ‫الوطنيــة واإلقليميــة ألجــل االســتفادة مــن الخرات‬ ‫العامليــة يف هــذا املجــال‪.‬‬ ‫• يتــوىل الصنــدوق إعــداد برنامــج لدعــم ومتويــل‬ ‫أصحــاب وصاحبــات املنشــآت الصغرة‪ ،‬واملســاعدة‬ ‫يف تقديــم العديــد مــن الرامج مثــل‪ :‬برامــج التأجر‬ ‫التمويــي‪ ،‬وبرامــج تطويــر مســتويات الجــودة‪،‬‬ ‫وبرامــج دعــم التدريــب والتأهيــل‪ ،‬وبرامــج دعــم‬ ‫التطويــر التقنــي‪.‬‬

‫• إنشــاء معاهــد وإعــداد الرامج املعنيــة بالتدريب‬ ‫وذلــك بدعــم ومتويــل مــن قبــل مؤسســات ماليــة‬ ‫ومرفيــة‪ ،‬وضــان دميومــة اإلتصــال والتنســيق‬ ‫فيــا بــن الجهــات املعنيــة بالتدريــب عــى نطــاق‬ ‫الدولــة املعنيــة‪.‬‬ ‫• إنشــاء هيئــة وطنيــة عامــة تتــوىل كافــة‬ ‫مســؤوليات تطويــر وتنميــة املنشــآت الصغــرة‬ ‫واملتوســطة عــى املســتوى الوطنــي‪.‬‬ ‫أخذ بترف من املصادر التالية‪-:‬‬ ‫املرشوعات الصغرة واملتوسطة ودورها يف التشغيل ىف‬ ‫الدول العربية *‬ ‫حسن عبد املطلب األرسج‬ ‫_‪http://asharqalarabi.org.uk/markaz/m‬‬ ‫‪abhath-26-01-11-1.htm‬‬ ‫املؤسسات الصغرة واملتوسطة يف اململكة العربية‬ ‫السعودية *‬ ‫* ‪Supporting small and medium enterprises‬‬ ‫‪Local Government Council‬‬ ‫*‪Small- and Medium-Sized Enterprise‬‬ ‫‪Finance Monitor, 2011-2015‬‬ ‫‪https://discover.ukdataservice.ac.uk/‬‬ ‫‪catalogue?sn=6888‬‬ ‫* ‪Small and Medium-sized Enterprises‬‬ ‫‪Findings from the 2004 Workplace‬‬ ‫‪Employment Relations Survey‬‬

‫ ‬

‫‪ARAB-BRITISH CHAMBER OF COMMERCE 91‬‬

‫وعــى الرغــم مــن هــذه األرقــام‪ ،‬إال أن املؤسســات‬ ‫الصغــرة واملتوســطة يف البلــدان الناشــئة ال تــزال‬ ‫تقــوم بــدور أقــل مــن الطمــوح وهــو دور متواضــع‬ ‫خصوصــاً مــن حيــث‪-:‬‬ ‫• ضعف مساهمتها يف الناتج املحي اإلجايل‪.‬‬ ‫• ضعــف كفاءتهــا يف قطــاع الصناعــة (تســاهم‬ ‫بنحــو ‪ %14‬فقــط مــن قيمــة اإلنتــاج‪ ،‬وتغطــي‬ ‫نســبة ‪ %35‬فقــط مــن الطاقــة االســتهاكية يف‬ ‫الصناعــة‪ ،‬وتســاهم بنســبة ‪ %8‬فقــط مــن قيمــة‬ ‫صــادرات الســلع الصناعيــة)‪.‬‬ ‫وتتلخــص أهميــة املنشــأت الصغــرية واملتوســطة‬ ‫لالقتصــاد النامــي بكونهــا‪-:‬‬ ‫• األداة األكــر كفــاءة واألكــر قــدرة عــى دفــع‬ ‫عجلــة التنميــة االقتصاديــة واالجتاعيــة عــى حــد‬ ‫ســواء‪.‬‬ ‫• البيئــة الخصبــة لرعايــة وتربيــة جيــل مــن‬ ‫املبدعــن واملســتثمرين‪ ،‬واكتشــاف قدراتهــم‬ ‫ومهاراتهــم‪.‬‬ ‫• امليــدان األكــر مامئــة لدخــول املــرأة الســعودية‬ ‫مليــدان العمــل واإلنتــاج واإلبــداع‪.‬‬ ‫• البيئــة الواعــدة لتوظيــف الشــباب وتطويــر‬ ‫طموحاتهــم املهنيــة وإبداعاتهــم الجديــدة‪.‬‬

‫مكانة املنشأت الصغرية‬ ‫يف تفعيل دور الشباب يف‬ ‫البلدان النامية‪:‬‬

‫وبهــذا الخصــوص‪ ،‬تنــاول خاصــة دور املنشــآت‬ ‫الصغــرة يف عمليــة التوظيــف خصوصــاً توفــر‬ ‫فــرص االســتثار والعمــل للمــرأة يف الــدول النامية‪.‬‬

‫دور املرأة العربية يف‬ ‫اقتصادات بلدانها‪:‬‬

‫تشــر بيانــات للبنــك الدويل عــن تنامي دور النســاء‬ ‫العربيــات يف عــامل املــال واألعــال‪ .‬عــى ســبيل‬ ‫املثــال؛ يتجــاوز إجــايل حجــم مــا متلكــه ســيدات‬ ‫األعــال يف اململكــة العربيــة الســعودية ‪ 45‬مليــار‬ ‫ريــال يف البنــوك الســعودية‪ ،‬فيــا تبلــغ قيمــة‬ ‫االســتثارات العقاريــة العائــدة للســعوديات بنحــو‬

‫‪ 120‬مليــار ريــال‪ ،‬وإن نســبة ‪ %20‬مــن الســجات‬ ‫التجاريــة يف الســعودية بأســاء نســاء‪ .‬ومتلــك‬ ‫ســيدات األعــال الســعوديات نحــو ‪ 20‬ألــف‬ ‫رشكــة ومؤسســة صغــرة ومتوســطة‪ ،‬تســتحوذ عى‬ ‫نســبة ‪ %4.3‬مــن مجمــوع الــرشكات الســعودية‬ ‫داخــل اململكــة‪ .‬وإن حجــم االســتثارات للنســاء‬ ‫الســعوديات ارتفــع يف األعــوام األخــرة ليصــل إىل‬ ‫‪ 60‬مليــار ريــال (‪ 16‬مليــار دوالر)‪ ،‬وذلــك وفقًــا‬ ‫إلحصائيــات تابعــة لغــرف التجــارة يف اململكــة‪.‬‬ ‫وعــى الرغــم مــن أن هــذه األرقــام توحــي‬ ‫بالتفــاءل‪ ،‬إال أن دور املــرأة العربيــة بشــكل عــام‬ ‫واملــرأة الســعودية عــى وجــه الخصــوص‪ ،‬يف عــامل‬ ‫املــال واألعــال اليــزال صغــرا ً‪ .‬فــا يــزال حجــم‬ ‫االســتثارات العائــدة للســيدات الســعوديات يف‬ ‫اململكــة صغــرة باملقارنــة مــع نظرتهــا املســجلة‬ ‫بأســاء الرجــال‪ .‬وال تــزال مســاهمة املــرأة‬ ‫الســعودية االقتصاديــة (التوظيــف واالســتثار)‬ ‫محــدودة ومقتــرة يف املجــاالت القليلــة املتاحــة‪،‬‬ ‫الســيا يف مجــال التعليــم (‪ ،)%88‬والصحــة (‪،)%9‬‬ ‫والخدمــات االجتاعيــة (‪ .)%3‬كــا تــدل البيانــات‬ ‫الوطنيــة الرســمية‪ ،‬أن معظــم منشــأت ســيدات‬ ‫األعــال الســعوديات تركــز يف مجــاالت (املشــاغل‬ ‫وتجــارة التجزئــة وغرهــا مــن األعــال الصغــرة)‪.‬‬

‫املعوقات واألسباب‪:‬‬

‫• حقــوق املــرأة املاليــة يف القانــون‪ ،‬تعتــر مشــكلة‬ ‫الزالــت قامئــة‪ .‬عــى ســبيل املثــال؛ مشــكلة الوكيــل‬ ‫الرشعــي‪ -‬هــي واحــدة مــن أكــر العوائــق التــي‬ ‫تقــف أمــام عمــل املســتثمرات الســعوديات‪.‬‬

‫• اعتــاد الطــرق التقليديــة يف اإلقـراض مــن أجــل‬ ‫التمويــل‪ ،‬وغيــاب أو ضعــف الحوافــز واالمتيــازات‬ ‫التــي تشــجع عــى االســتثار (خصوص ـاً يف قطــاع‬ ‫الصناعــة)‪ .‬يواجــه كثــر مــن هــذه املؤسســات‬ ‫العديــد مــن مشــاكل التمويــل‪ ،‬خصوصـاً يف بدايــة‬ ‫التأســيس‪ ،‬وذلــك بســبب حــذر وتخــوف املصــارف‬ ‫يف التعامــل مــع املنشــآت قيــد التأســيس‪ ،‬حيــث‬ ‫غالب ـاً مــا تســتغرق عمليــة دراســة املــرشوع وقت ـاً‬ ‫طويــاً لضــان عــدم تحمــل البنــك (املؤسســة)‬ ‫مخاطــر قــد تعيــق عمليــة اســرداد القــرض‪ .‬ومــن‬ ‫هنــا تنبع الــرضورة يف تعبئــة املؤسســات الحكومية‬ ‫وغــر الحكوميــة لتقديــم الدعــم الفنــي واملــايل‬ ‫لســيدات االعــال وللراغبــات يف دخــول املجــاالت‬ ‫االســتثارية املختلفــة‪.‬‬

‫• تركــز العالــة الوافــدة وقلــة اليــد املاهــرة‬ ‫املدربــة وعــدم وجــود الخطــط املتكاملــة لتنميــة‬ ‫املــوارد البرشيــة وفقــا الحتياجــات ســـوق العمــل‪،‬‬ ‫ومحدوديــة األســواق‪ .‬ومــن هنــا تــرز أهميــة‬ ‫تثقيــف الشــباب والشــابات بدورهــم يف دعــم‬ ‫وتحفيــز االقتصــاد الوطنــي‪.‬‬ ‫• تقديــم الحوافــز والرامــج التدريبيــة املتنوعــة‬ ‫وتشــجيع املشــاريع التــي توظــف املــرأة‪.‬‬ ‫• غيــاب الفهــم الواضــح لــدور املؤسســات‬ ‫الصغــرة واملتوســطة والتقنيــة منهــا بشــكل خــاص‪.‬‬ ‫ومــن هنــا تنبــع الــرضورة يف فتــح املجــال أمــام‬ ‫ســيدات األعــال لاســتثار يف مختلــف األنشــطة‬ ‫االقتصاديــة‪ ،‬والتثقيــف بــدور املــرأة يف االقتصــاد‬ ‫ســواء عــى صعيــد االســتثار أو التوظيــف‪.‬‬ ‫• غيــاب الرامــج الواضحــة واملحــددة ملســاندة‬ ‫هــذه املؤسســات‪ .‬ويف ضــوء انضــام الكثــر مــن‬ ‫الــدول العربيــة لعضويــة منظمــة التجــارة العامليــة‬ ‫مــا يفــرض إلغــاء أو تخفيــض الرســوم الجمركيــة‪ ،‬ما‬ ‫يعنــي زيــادة حــدة املنافســة الــذي ســيفرز آثــار‬ ‫ســلبية عــى املنشــآت الصغــرة واملتوســطة عــى‬ ‫النطــاق الوطنــي‪ .‬والميكــن حــل هــذه املشــكلة‬ ‫إال مــن خــال برنامــج دعــم متكامــل للمؤسســات‬ ‫واإلنتــاج والتصديــر مــن قبــل الدولــة‪ ،‬كفيــل برفــع‬ ‫القــدرة التنافســية للــرشكات الوطنيــة وتحســن‬ ‫نوعيــة وكفــاءة املنتجــات املحليــة‪.‬‬ ‫• ضعف أو غياب البنية التحتية الجيدة‪،‬‬ ‫• ضعــف النواحــي اإلداريــة ‪ ،‬واملحاســبية ‪ ،‬والفنيــة‬ ‫‪ ،‬ومهــارات التســويق‪،‬‬ ‫أهــم اإلجــراءات التــي يجــب أن تقــوم بهــا‬ ‫الجهــات الداعمــة يف املراحــل األوىل مــن تأســيس‬ ‫املــرشوع‪-:‬‬ ‫‪ .1‬تزويــد أصحــاب الــرشكات الصغــرة بخريطــة‬ ‫للعمليــات التنظيميــة لتســجيل الــرشكات‬ ‫واســتقصاءات بعينــة مــن املوسســات‪.‬‬ ‫‪ .2‬مراجعة القوانن واللوائح ذات العاقة‪،‬‬ ‫‪ .3‬مراجعــة كيفيــة تنفيــذ اإلجــراءات اإلداريــة‬ ‫الجديــدة‪،‬‬ ‫‪ .4‬مراجعــة كيفيــة تأمــن بنــاء القــدرات ملوظفــي‬ ‫الرشكــة‪،‬‬

‫‪ECONOMIC FOCUS CHAMBER NEWS‬‬

‫مــن العــال يف الــرشكات الصغــرة تتطــور مهنياً‬ ‫بشــكل إيجــايب ورسيــع مقارنــة مبــا هــو عليه يف‬ ‫الــرشكات الكبــرة‪.‬‬ ‫‪ .5‬الشــعور باملســؤولية‪ :‬حيــث مينــح العمــل‬ ‫يف الــرشكات الصغــرة للعاملــن واملوظفــن‬ ‫شــعورا ً أكــر باملســؤولية اتجــاه مصلحــة‬ ‫الرشكــة‪ ،‬وارتبــاط املصلحــة الشــخصية مبصلحــة‬ ‫الرشكــة‪ .‬وغالبـاً مــا ينضــج هذا الشــعور بشــكل‬ ‫مبكــر بعــد فــرة قصــرة نســبياً مــن االلتحــاق‬ ‫بالعمــل‪ ،‬قياس ـاً مــع أوضــاع العــال املوظفــن‬ ‫يف الــرشكات الكبــرة‪.‬‬ ‫‪ .6‬نضــج الهويــة والتميّــز املهنــي‪ :‬حيــث غالبـاً مــا‬ ‫مينــح العمــل يف الــرشكات الصغــرة العاملــن‬ ‫واملوظفــن الطموحــن فرصــة التم ّيــز والشــعور‬ ‫بنضــوج الهويــة املهنيــة خصوصـاً إذا مــا قــورن‬ ‫بضآلــة توفــر مثــل هــذه الفرصــة ملوظــف‬ ‫يف رشكــة كبــرة التــي تضــم عــدد ضخــم مــن‬ ‫العــال واملوظفــن‪.‬‬ ‫‪ .7‬رسعــة تحقــق النتائــج‪ :‬حيــث تســمح طبيعــة‬ ‫العمــل يف الــرشكات الصغــرة للعاملــن فيهــا‬ ‫فــرص تحقــق النتائــج‪ ،‬ملــا مييــز طبيعــة العمــل‬ ‫ورسعــة دورة رأس املــال (الفــرة مــا بــن والدة‬ ‫الفكــرة وتطبيقهــا والعائــد املايل الربحــي الناتج‬ ‫عنهــا)‪ ،‬مــا يشــجع مجــال البحــث واالخ ـراع‪.‬‬ ‫‪ .8‬الشــعور بالحميميــة والتقــارب‪ :‬حيــث يســمح‬ ‫العمــل ضمــن فريــق صغــر لألشــخاص فرصــة‬ ‫التقــارب والحميميــة املتبادلــة مــا ينعكــس‬ ‫بشــكل إيجــايب عــى العاملــن وعــى وضــع‬ ‫الرشكــة ومســتقبلها املهنــي‪.‬‬ ‫كــا أظهــر االســتطالع أيضــاً بعــض الســلبيات‬ ‫الناتجــة عــن العمــل يف الــرشكات الصغــرية‪،‬‬ ‫وأهمهــا‪-:‬‬ ‫‪ .1‬ضعــف يف مجــال التدريــب والتأهيــل لــكادر‬ ‫الــرشكات الصغــرة واملتوســطة والصغــرة‪ :‬مــا‬ ‫يســتدعي تشــديد الرقابــة واملتابعــة عــى تنفيذ‬ ‫التزامــات وتعهــدات أصحــاب هــذه الــرشكات‪،‬‬ ‫الســيا وإن القانــون الريطــاين يعتــر نفقــات‬ ‫الــرشكات عــى التدريــب والتأهيــل جــزءا ً‬ ‫مــن اســتثارات الرشكــة املعفيــة مــن رســوم‬ ‫الرضائــب‪.‬‬ ‫‪ .2‬التخطيــط اإلسـراتيجي‪ :‬حيث أظهرت الدراســة‬ ‫أن نســبة ‪ %54‬مــن الــرشكات املتوســطة‬

‫والصغــرة الريطانيــة تفتقــر إىل خطــة عمــل‬ ‫إســراتيجية ثابتــة ومقــرة رســمياً‪ ،‬وإن نســبة‬ ‫‪ %45‬مــن هــذه الــرشكات متتلــك خطــة‬ ‫إس ـراتيجية (طويلــة اآلمــد) إال أنهــا تفتقــر إىل‬ ‫خطــة عمــل ثابتــة ومقــرة رســمياً‪ .‬كــا أظهــرت‬ ‫الدراســة أن نســبة كبــرة مــن االخفاقــات يف‬ ‫أعــال الــرشكات املتوســطة والصغــرة يعزى إىل‬ ‫ســوء التخطيــط أو عــدم وجــود خطــة طويلــة‬ ‫اآلمــد إلدارة وتنظيــم أعــال الرشكــة‪ ،‬ذلــك أن‬ ‫كثــر مــن هــذه الــرشكات تعتمــد إدارة أعالهــا‬ ‫مــن‪ -‬يــوم‪ -‬آلخــر‪ ،‬مــا يــؤدي إىل اخفاقهــا يف‬ ‫تحقيــق تنميــة مســتدامة‪.‬‬ ‫‪ .3‬البطالــة املقنعــة‪ :‬حيــث يف أحيانــاً كثــرة‬ ‫يضطــر العاملــن واملوظفــن يف الــرشكات‬ ‫الصغــرة القبــول بفرصــة عمــل بســاعات أقــل‬ ‫وذلــك بســبب ضيــق إمكانيــة الرشكــة املاليــة‬ ‫الســتيعابعــالوموظفــنليــومعمــلكامــل‪.‬‬ ‫‪ .4‬تعــدد املســؤوليات‪ :‬عــى خــاف الــرشكات‬ ‫الكبــرة‪ ،‬فــإن العمــل يف الــرشكات الصغــرة‬ ‫ميكــن أن يح ّمــل العامــل أو املوظــف مســؤولية‬ ‫أعــال عديــدة ومختلفــة يف طبيعتهــا مــا يؤدي‬ ‫يف بعــض األحيــان إىل شــمولية خــرة العامــل أو‬ ‫املوظــف بعيــدا ً عــن االختصــاص‪ ،‬الــذي مينحــه‬ ‫العمــل يف الــرشكات الكبــرة‪.‬‬ ‫‪ .5‬شــمولية التدريــب‪ :‬وكذلــك الحــال ذاتــه ينطبق‬ ‫عــى التدريــب أيضـاً‪.‬‬ ‫‪ .6‬شــمولية الهويــة املهنيــة‪ :‬ميكــن أن يــؤدي‬ ‫تعــدد املســؤوليات وشــمولية التدريــب الــذي‬ ‫تفرضــه طبيعــة العمــل يف الــرشكات الصغــرة‬ ‫إىل شــمولية الهويــة املهنيــة وصعوبــة تحديدها‬ ‫مــا يجعــل كل شــخص قــادر أن يقــوم بــكل‬ ‫وظيفــة‪.‬‬ ‫‪ .7‬تــدين ســلم الرواتــب‪ :‬حيــث غالبـاً مــا يتقاظــى‬ ‫املوظــف أو العامــل‪ ،‬يف بدايــة انخراطهــم‬ ‫بالعمــل يف الــرشكات الصغــرة‪ ،‬رواتــب قليلــة‪.‬‬ ‫وينطبــق هــذا أيضـاً عى بعــض املنافــع األخرى‬ ‫التــي مينحهــا العمــل يف الــرشكات الكبــرة‪ ،‬مثــل‬ ‫الئحــة إدخــار التقاعــد‪ ،‬واشــراكات النــادي‬ ‫الريــايض‪ ،‬والئحــة الضــان الصحــي‪ ،‬ســيارة‬ ‫خاصــة‪ ،‬وغرهــا مــن املنافــع التــي ال ميكــن أن‬ ‫تقدمهــا الــرشكات الصغــرة لضيــق إمكانيتهــا‬ ‫املاديــة‪.‬‬

‫‪ .8‬غيــاب الحايــة النقابيــة‪ :‬حيــث طبقـاً لقوانــن‬ ‫اململكــة املتحــدة‪ ،‬ال تتمتــع الــرشكات الصغــرة‬ ‫التــي يقــل عــدد العاملــن فيهــا عــن ‪ 22‬عامــل‬ ‫بالحايــة النقابيــة‪.‬‬ ‫املســاعدات غــري العينيــة (حكوميــة وغــري‬ ‫حكوميــة) التــي تحصــل عليــه الــرشكات الصغــرية‬ ‫واملتوســطة يف بريطانيــا‪-:‬‬ ‫‪ .1‬اسشــارات مهنيــة وعلمية من قبــل اختصاصين‬ ‫يتــم اختيارهــم طبقـاً لحاجــة املرشوع‪.‬‬ ‫‪ .2‬استشــارات مــن قبــل مختصــن بأمــور التمويــل‬ ‫واملاليــة بهــدف املســاعدة يف تهيئــة رأس املــال‬ ‫املناســب الــازم للمــرشوع‪.‬‬ ‫‪ .3‬اسشــارات مــن قبــل مختصــن يف األمــور‬ ‫التجاريــة واملاليــة مع ـاً بهــدف تهيئــة أرضيــة‬ ‫مناســبة للتنميــة املســتدامة‪.‬‬ ‫‪ .4‬املســاعدة يف تهيئــة خطــة عمــل مناســبة‬ ‫ملواصفــات املــرشوع والحالــة املاليــة‪.‬‬ ‫‪ .5‬املســاعدة يف حصــول املرشوع عى املســتلزمات‬ ‫الازمــة للمــرشوع مــن أجهــزة ومعــدات‬ ‫وغرهــا مــن احتياجــات‪.‬‬ ‫‪ .6‬تقديــم املســاعدات مــن قبــل مختصــن يف‬ ‫صياغــة وتقديــم طلبــات الحصــول عــى منــح‬ ‫التمويــل التــي تقدمهــا كثرمــن املنظــات‬ ‫والهيئــات الحكوميــة وغــر الحكوميــة‪.‬‬ ‫‪ .7‬دراســة املــرشوع وإعــادة دراســته وإعطــاء‬ ‫االقراحــات والتوصيــات‪.‬‬

‫املنشأت الصغرية يف‬ ‫البلدان الناشئة‪ :‬إنجازات‬ ‫وتحديات‬

‫عــى صعيــد البلــدان الناميــة فــإن املنشــآت‬ ‫الصغــرة واملتوســطة تشــكّل العمــود الفقــري‬ ‫ألقتصادياتهــا‪ ،‬حيــث متثــل نحــو نســبة ‪%85‬‬ ‫مــن إجــايل املنشــأت االقتصاديــة‪ ،‬ونحــو نســبة‬ ‫‪ %92‬مــن إجــايل املنشــآت‪ ،‬بشــكل عــام‪ .‬وتقــوم‬ ‫املنشــآت الصغــرة واملتوســطة يف البلــدان الناميــة‬ ‫بتوظيــف ‪ %82‬مــن إجــايل حجــم العالــة‬ ‫الوطنيــة يف القطــاع الخــاص‪ .‬وتقــدر مســاهمة‬ ‫املنشــآت الصغــرة واملتوســطة يف الناتــج املحــي‬ ‫اإلجــايل املتولــد عــن القطــاع الخــاص نســبة ‪.%28‬‬

‫‪ARAB-BRITISH CHAMBER OF COMMERCE 93‬‬

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‫• نســبة ‪ %24‬مــن الــرشكات شــهدت زيــادة يف‬ ‫أعــداد العاملــن‪.‬‬ ‫• نســبة ‪ %60‬مــن الــرشكات مل تشــهد زيــادة يف‬ ‫أعــداد العاملــن‪.‬‬ ‫نســبة ‪ %12‬مــن الــرشكات شــهدت تناقــص يف‬ ‫أعــداد العاملــن‪.‬‬ ‫وأظهــرت الدراســة نتيجــة اســتطاع خــاص آلراء‬ ‫العــال واملوظفــن متــت مقارنتــه مــع اســتطاع‬ ‫أجــري يف نفــس الوقــت مــع عــال وموظفــن يف‬ ‫رشكات كبــرة‪ ،‬أن املوظفــن والعــال يف الــرشكات‬ ‫الصغــرة كانــوا أكــر إيجابيــة مــن زمائهــم يف‬ ‫الــرشكات الكبــرة‪ .‬ولخصــت اإليجابيــات التــي‬ ‫أظهرهــا هــؤالء املوظفــن والعــال مبــا يــي‬ ‫وحســب التسلســل‪-:‬‬ ‫وأظهــرت الدراســة تزايــد أعــداد العاملــن املهــرة‬ ‫والخريجــن ذوي الكفــاءة يف الــرشكات الصغــرة‬ ‫واملتوســطة يف بريطانيــا‪ ،‬خــال الســنوات العرشيــن‬ ‫املاضيــة‪ .‬ومــن خــال دراســة نوعيــة األعــال التــي‬ ‫توفرهــا هــذه الــرشكات‪ ،‬وجــدت الدراســة أن تناقص‬ ‫نســبة فــرص العمــل التي ال تحتــاج إىل مهــارة خاصة‬ ‫بشــكل ملحــوظ‪ .‬ومــن خــال دراســة فــرص العمــل‬ ‫التــي توفرهــا مثــل هــذا النــوع مــن الــرشكات يف‬ ‫النصــف األول مــن عــام ‪ ،2013‬أظهــرت الدراســة أن‬ ‫فرصــة واحــدة مــن ضمــن ثــاث تحتــاج إىل معرفــة‬ ‫خاصــة يف مجــال تكنولوجيــة املعلومــات‪ ،‬مــا يشــر‬ ‫إىل أن مــا يقــارب نصــف فــرص العمــل يف هــذه‬ ‫الــرشكات يحتــاج إىل عــال من ذوي الخــرة يف مجال‬ ‫تكنولوجيــا املعلومــات‪ .‬وطبقــاً إلحصــاءات اتحــاد‬ ‫الصناعيــن الريطانيــن‪ ،‬بلغــت نفقــات الــرشكات‬ ‫الريطانيــة عــى التدريــب والتأهيــل يف عــام ‪،2012‬‬ ‫مبــا يف ذلــك الــرشكات الصغــرة واملتوســطة مبلــغ‬ ‫‪ 38£‬مليــار جنيــة إس ـرليني‪.‬‬ ‫ج‪ .‬القــدرة عــى االبتــكار‪ ،‬وتقــل أهميــة هــذا‬ ‫العامــل كلــا ازداد عــدد العــال يف الرشكــة‪:‬‬ ‫• يشــكل نســبة ‪ %34‬باالهميــة للــرشكات التــي‬ ‫تــدار مــن قبــل شــخص واحــد‪،‬‬ ‫• يشــكل نســبة ‪ %30‬باالهميــة للــرشكات املتكونــة‬ ‫مــن ‪ 2-5‬عــال‪،‬‬ ‫• يشــكل نســبة ‪ %26‬باالهميــة للــرشكات املتكونــة‬ ‫مــن ‪ 6+‬عــال‪.‬‬

‫‪ .7‬معــدالت النمــو يف حجــم مبيعــات الــرشكات‬ ‫خــالل الســنوات الخمــس التــي ســبقت إجــراء‬ ‫الدراســة (‪:)2013‬‬ ‫• أغلــب أصحــاب األعــال أو نســبة ‪ %54‬شــهدوا‬ ‫زيــادة واضحــة وكبــرة بنســبة ‪ %25‬يف حجــم‬ ‫املبيعــات‪.‬‬ ‫• نسبة ‪ %15‬مل يشهدوا تغرا ً يف حجم املبيعات‪.‬‬ ‫• نسبة ‪ %14‬شهدوا تراجع يف حجم املبيعات‪.‬‬ ‫وخلصــت الدراســة إىل أن نســبة عاليــة مــن‬ ‫الــرشكات الصغــرة واملتوســطة تتطلــع بإيجابيــة‬ ‫إىل مســتقبل زاهــر ومعــدالت منــو جيــدة‪ .‬وكان‬ ‫التفــاءل ملموسـاً بشــكل أكــر وضوحـاً يف الــرشكات‬ ‫الصغــرة‪ .‬وأظهــرت الدراســة أن نســبة ‪ %65‬مــن‬ ‫هــذه الــرشكات (الصغــرة) تتوقــع معــدالت منــو‬ ‫مرتفعــة (بزيــادة ‪ )%25‬خــال النصــف الثــاين مــن‬ ‫عــام ‪ .2012‬كــا أظهــرت نســبة ‪ %16‬مــن الرشكات‬ ‫الصغــرة حاجــة إىل زيــادة أعــداد العاملــن يف‬ ‫الربــع األخــر مــن عــام ‪ ،2012‬ونســبة ‪ %31‬مــن‬ ‫هــذه الــرشكات كانــت تتوقــع زيــادة كبــرة يف‬ ‫حجــم اســتثاراتها عــى مــدى األشــهر القليلــة التي‬ ‫اعقبــت إج ـراء الدراســة‪.‬‬ ‫‪ .8‬معــدالت الزيــادة يف أعــداد العاملــني يف‬ ‫الــرشكات الصغــرية خــالل الســنوات الخمــس التــي‬ ‫ســبقت إجــراء الدراســة (‪:)2013‬‬

‫‪ .1‬اتســاع رقعــة الخـرات‪ :‬حيــث غالبـاً تســتدعي‬ ‫نوعيــة العمــل يف الــرشكات الصغــرة أن يقــوم‬ ‫العاملــن مبــا يف ذلــك املوظفــن الحاصلــن عــى‬ ‫شــهادات علميــة مبســؤولية أنــواع عديــدة مــن‬ ‫يوســع مــن خ ـرات ومهــارات‬ ‫النشــاطات مــا ّ‬ ‫العاملــن يف الرشكــة من إدارة وتنظيم وتســويق‬ ‫وغرهــا مــن األعــال التجاريــة‪.‬‬ ‫‪ .2‬املرونــة‪ :‬حيــث متنــح بعــض الــرشكات الصغــرة‬ ‫منافــع خاصــة بــاألرسة‪ ،‬مثــل الســاح بالوظيفة‬ ‫املشــركة (بــن الــزوج والزوجــة)‪ ،‬وكذلــك‬ ‫الســاح بالعمــل مــن البيــت‪ ،‬واملرونــة يف‬ ‫أوقــات الــدوام الرســمي‪.‬‬ ‫‪ .3‬حريــة التعبــر عــن املواهــب واألفــكار‪ :‬حيــث‬ ‫غالبــاً مــا تســمح أجــواء العمــل يف الــرشكات‬ ‫الصغــرة للعاملــن واملوظفــن بــإدالء آرائهــم‬ ‫وأفكارهــم بخصــوص تطويــر وتنميــة عمــل‬ ‫الرشكــة مــا يســاعد عــى تطويــر قــدرات‬ ‫الرشكــة والعاملــن فيهــا عــى حــد ســواء‪.‬‬ ‫‪ .4‬مســتقبل مهنــي أكــر وضوحـاً‪ :‬حيــث غالبـاً مــا‬ ‫تســمح طبيعــة العمــل يف الــرشكات الصغــرة‬ ‫للعاملــن فيهــا الوصــول إىل مرحلــة الثقــة‬ ‫املهنيــة مــن حيــث النوعيــة والكفــاءة املهنيــة‬ ‫والتأثــر‪ ،‬خصوصـاً للعــال اللذيــن ال يحملــون‬ ‫شــهادات علميــة أو ذوي االختصــاص‪ .‬وإذا‬ ‫مــا قــورن وضــع هــذه الرشيحــة مــن العــال‬ ‫مــن هــذه الناحيــة مبــا هــو عليــه يف الــرشكات‬ ‫الكبــرة‪ ،‬يظهــر االســتطاع أن هــذه الرشيحــة‬

‫‪ECONOMIC FOCUS CHAMBER NEWS‬‬

‫• نســبة ‪ %41‬مــن أصحــاب الــرشكات الصغــرة‬ ‫يعتقــدون بــأن أكــر التحديــات تظهــر وتــزداد‬ ‫خــال املراحــل املتقدمــة مــن عمــل الرشكــة‪.‬‬ ‫• نســبة ‪ %10‬مــن أصحــاب الــرشكات الصغــرة‬ ‫يعتقــدون بــأن أكــر التحديــات تظهــر يف املرحلــة‬ ‫األوىل مــن عمــل الرشكــة (فــرة إنشــاء وتأســيس‬ ‫الرشكــة)‪.‬‬ ‫• نســبة ‪ %22‬مــن أصحــاب الــرشكات الصغــرة ال‬ ‫يعتقــدون بوجــود تحديــات تذكــر‪.‬‬ ‫‪ .5‬أهــم العوامــل التــي يجــب توفرهــا يف شــخصية‬ ‫صاحــب الرشكــة أو املــرشوع‪:‬‬ ‫أ‪ .‬خــال املرحلــة األوىل مــن عمــر الرشكــة‪ ،‬أو مــا‬ ‫يســمى مرحلــة إنشــاء وتأســيس الرشكــة‪:‬‬

‫الرشكة عى خاف ما هو متعارف عليه‪.‬‬ ‫• نســبة ‪ %8‬تؤكــد عــى القــدرة عــى االبتــكار‪،‬‬ ‫وتــزداد أهميــة هــذا العامــل مــع تقــدم عمــر‬ ‫الرشكــة عــى خــاف مــا هــو متعــارف عليــه‪.‬‬ ‫‪ .6‬املعوقات‪:‬‬ ‫أ‪ .‬التمويــل‪ْ :‬تختلــف حاجــة الــرشكات الصغــرة‬ ‫واملتوســطة للتمويــل بشــكل كبــر بحيــث تحتــاج‬ ‫كل واحــدة منهــا إىل دراســة خاصــة بهــا‪ ،‬مــن حيث‬ ‫حجــم الرشكــة (عــدد املوظفــن والعامللــن) ونــوع‬ ‫النشــاط‪ ،‬ودرجــة اعتادهــا وارتباطهــا بنشــاطات‬ ‫رشكات أخــرى مــن نفــس النــوع أو نشــاط مرتبــط‬ ‫أو قريــب منــه‪ ،‬وموقــع منتجاتهــا مــن سلســلة‬ ‫اإلنتــاج وخارطــة االســتهاك (ســلعة قريبــة‬ ‫للمســتهلك أو ســلعة تدخــل يف اإلنتــاج)‪.‬‬

‫• نســبة ‪ %74‬تبــدي الرغبــة يف العمــل الجــاد‬ ‫والقــايس‪ ،‬ال تختلــف أهميتــه باختــاف عــدد‬ ‫العاملــن يف الرشكــة‪.‬‬

‫• نســبة ‪ %51‬تشــر إىل ضعــف وصعوبــة الحصــول‬ ‫عــى التمويــل يشــكل أكــر التحديــات عــى‬ ‫اإلطــاق‪.‬‬

‫• نســبة ‪ %47‬تبــدي االرصار‪ ،‬وال تختلــف أهميتــه‬ ‫باختــاف عــدد العاملــن يف الرشكــة‪.‬‬

‫وذلــك بســبب كــرة التحديــات التــي تواجــه‬ ‫الــرشكات الصغــرة يف املراحــل األوىل مــن إنشــاءها‬ ‫(مرحلــة التأســيس واملرحلــة التــي تليهــا)‪ ،‬ويكــون‬ ‫للتمويــل املــايل التــي تحصــل عليــه الرشكــة األثــر‬ ‫األكــر يف دميومــة وثبــات الرشكــة يف الســوق‪.‬‬ ‫توكــد الحكومــة الريطانيــة عــى رضورة تحديــث‬ ‫باقــة املســاعدات والخدمــات الحكوميــة ألصحــاب‬ ‫األعــال لتتــاىش مــع متطلبــات النمــو والتنميــة‬ ‫االقتصاديــة‪ .‬وتــأيت هــذه املطالبــات يف أعــى قامئــة‬ ‫املتطلبــات املوجهــة لدعــم وتشــجيع مصالــح‬

‫• نســبة ‪ %46‬تؤكــد عــى القــدرة عــى االلتــزام‬ ‫الــذايت‪ .‬وتــزداد أهميتــه لنســبة ‪ %53‬للــرشكات‬ ‫التــي تــدار مــن قبــل شــخص واحــد أو مالــك واحد‪،‬‬ ‫وتقــل أهميــة االلت ـزام الــذايت إىل نســبة ‪ %46‬مــع‬ ‫زيــادة عــدد العــال‪ ،‬أو للــرشكات املتكونــة مــن‬ ‫‪ 2-5‬عــال‪ ،‬وتقــل النســبة إىل ‪ %37‬للرشكــة املكونة‬ ‫مــن ‪ 6+‬عــال‪ .‬وبهــذا تقــل نســبة االلتـزام الــذايت‬ ‫ألصحــاب مثــل هــذه الــرشكات بســبب اعتادهــم‬ ‫عــى العــال‪.‬‬ ‫ب‪ .‬خالل املراحل املتقدمة من عمل الرشكة‪:‬‬ ‫• نســبة ‪ %65‬تبــدي الرغبــة يف العمــل الجــاد‬ ‫والقــايس‪ ،‬ال تختلــف أهميــة هــذا العامــل باختاف‬ ‫عــدد العاملــن يف الرشكــة‪.‬‬ ‫• نســبة ‪ %40‬تؤكــد عــى االرصار‪ ،‬وتــزداد أهميتــه‬ ‫كلــا قــل عــدد العاملــن يف الرشكــة‪.‬‬ ‫• نســبة ‪ %35‬تؤكــد عــى القــدرة عــى االلتــزام‬ ‫الــذايت‪ ،‬وتــزداد أهميــة هــذا العامــل كلــا قــل‬ ‫عــدد العاملــن يف الرشكــة‪.‬‬ ‫• نســبة ‪ %24‬تؤكــد عــى القــدرة عــى اإلبــداع‪،‬‬ ‫وتــزداد أهميــة هــذا العامــل مــع تقــدم عمــر‬

‫الــرشكات الصغــرة واملتوســطة ذلــك لدورهــا الكبر‬ ‫يف االقتصــاد الريطاين‪.‬‬ ‫وتؤكــد الحكومــة الريطانيــة عــى رضورة تحديــث‬ ‫شــبكة الحايــة‪ ،‬فإضافــة إىل قوانــن الحايــة‬ ‫العامــة التــي يوفرهــا القانــون الريطــاين لــكل‬ ‫العاملــن يف القطاعــات التجاريــة وغرهــا مــن‬ ‫مجــاالت الحيــاة‪ ،‬أقــرت الحكومــة الريطانيــة يف‬ ‫حزيــران (يوينــو) ‪ 2007‬الئحــة جديــدة تخــص‬ ‫حقــوق العاملــن يف الــرشكات املتوســطة والصغــرة‪،‬‬ ‫خصوص ـاً فيــا يتعلــق بالحــد األدىن مــن الراتــب‪،‬‬ ‫وحــق العاملــن يف اإلجــازات والعطــل‪ ،‬والرعايــة‬ ‫الصحيــة‪ ،‬وإج ـراءات الســامة يف محيــط العمــل‪.‬‬ ‫ب‪ .‬نســبة ‪ %47‬تشــر إىل القوانــن الصارمــة‪ .‬وتقــل‬ ‫أهميــة هــذا العائــق كلــا قــل عــدد العاملــن يف‬ ‫الرشكــة إىل نســبة ‪ %34‬للــرشكات املتكونــة مــن‬ ‫شــخص واحــد‪ ،‬وإىل نســبة ‪ %57‬للــرشكات املتكونة‬ ‫مــن ‪ 6+‬عــال‪.‬‬ ‫ث‪ .‬عوائــق تتعلــق بالتدريــب والتأهيــل‪ ،‬تــزداد‬ ‫أهميــة هــذه العوائــق بزيــادة عــدد العــال يف‬ ‫الرشكــة‪:‬‬ ‫• تشــكل نســبة ‪ %47‬للــرشكات املتكونــة مــن ‪6+‬‬ ‫عــال‪.‬‬ ‫• تشــكل نســبة ‪ %20‬للــرشكات مــن طاقــم ‪2-5‬‬ ‫عــال والتــي تــدار مــن قبــل أصحابهــا‪.‬‬ ‫• تشــكل نشــبة ‪ %17‬للــرشكات التــي تــدار مــن‬ ‫قبــل شــخص واحــد‪.‬‬

‫ ‬

‫‪ARAB-BRITISH CHAMBER OF COMMERCE 95‬‬

‫القــرار‪ ،‬وهــو أهــم العوامــل؛‬ ‫• نسبة ‪ %72‬تؤكد عى املرونة يف العمل؛‬ ‫• نســبة ‪ %70‬تؤكــد عــى القناعــة والــرىض عــن‬ ‫الــذات‪.‬‬ ‫_ مــن وجهــة نظــر أصحــاب الــرشكات اللذيــن‬ ‫يديــرون رشكات مــن شــخص واحــد‪:‬‬ ‫• تؤكــد نســبة ‪ %31‬عــى املوازنــة بــن العمــل‬ ‫والحيــاة املهنيــة‪ ،‬بينــا هــذا العامــل يشــكل نســبة‬ ‫‪ %22‬للــرشكات املتكونــة مــن ‪ 2-5‬عــال‪ ،‬ونســبة‬ ‫‪ %13‬للــرشكات املتكونــة مــن ‪ 6+‬عــال‪.‬‬

‫متركــز أكــر للــرشكات التــي تتســم بقطــاع االبتــكار‬ ‫واإلبــداع ورشكات التجزئــة‪ .‬ويف الوقــت ذاتــه‬ ‫تتداخــل النشــاطات االقتصاديــة لهــذه الــرشكات‬ ‫فيــا بينهــا لدرجــة كبــرة بحيــث تعتمــد بعضهــا‬ ‫عــى البعــض اآلخــر بشــكل كبــر‪.‬‬

‫املعلومــات وخدمــات “آي‪ .‬يت”‪ ،‬إال أن رصفيــات‬ ‫خدمــات “آي‪ .‬يت” للــرشكات املتوســطة التــي ال‬ ‫يتجــاوز رأســالها ‪ 250£‬مليــون جنيــة إس ـرليني‪،‬‬ ‫تــزداد نفقاتهــا الســنوية عــى هــذه الخدمــات‬ ‫بنســبة ‪ %12.4‬مقابــل نظراتهــا يف دول أوروبيــة‬ ‫أخــرى مثــل أملانيــا وفرنســا‪.‬‬

‫أ‪ .‬وجــود الرغبــة الذاتيــة والتحــدي مــن أجــل‬ ‫الحصــول عــى النجــاح املــادي واملعنــوي‪ ،‬بنســبة‬ ‫مطلقــة ‪.%98‬‬

‫أ‪ .‬نســبة ‪ %38‬توفــر الطلــب اإليجــايب عــى الســلعة‬ ‫التــي ســتنتجها الرشكة‪.‬‬

‫‪ .2‬الدوافع وراء تأسيس هذه الرشكات‪:‬‬

‫ب‪ .‬توفر التكنولوجيا الحديثة‪:‬‬

‫ب‪ .‬نســبة ‪ %34‬توفــر اإلمكانيــة عــى تلبيــة طلــب‬ ‫الســوق وتوفــر القــدرة عــى خدمــة الســوق‪.‬‬

‫• نســبة ‪ %32‬مــن الــرشكات الخاضعــة للدراســة‬ ‫تعتــر التكنولوجيــا مهمــة جــدا ً‪.‬‬

‫‪ .3‬إيجابيــات أو املنافــع مــن العمــل يف الــرشكات‬ ‫الصغــرية‪:‬‬

‫• نســبة ‪ %12‬مــن الــرشكات الخاضعــة للدراســة‬ ‫تعترعــدم توفرالتكنولوجيــا الحديثــة مشــكلة‪.‬‬

‫أ‪ .‬املنافــع املتوقــع الحصــول عليهــا (قبــل وأثنــاء‬ ‫تأســيس الرشكــة)‪:‬‬

‫• نســبة ‪ %28‬مــن الــرشكات الخاضعــة للدراســة‬ ‫تشــعر بالنــدم عــى رشاءهــا معــدات وأجهــزة‬ ‫حديثــة والتــي مل تعــد بحاجــة لهــا‪.‬‬

‫• نســبة ‪ %97‬تؤكــد عــى املرونــة يف العمــل‪،‬‬ ‫وبذلــك تتقــدم عــى رغبــة الحصــول عــى الربــح‬ ‫املــادي‪ .‬وتعــرف املرونــة‪ :‬مينــح العمــل يف الــرشكات‬ ‫الصغــرة منافــع خاصــة بــاألرسة‪ ،‬مثــل الســاح‬ ‫بالوظيفــة املشــركة (بــن الــزوج والزوجــة)‪ ،‬وكذلك‬ ‫الســاح بالعمــل مــن البيــت‪ ،‬واملرونــة يف أوقــات‬ ‫الــدوام الرســمي‪.‬‬

‫عــى ســبيل املثــال‪ ،‬اســتخدام شــبكة املعلومــات؛‬ ‫ذكــرت الدراســة أن الــرشكات الصغــرة واملتوســطة‬ ‫قــد رصــدت نســبة ‪ %10.7‬مــن ميزانيتهــا يف عــام‬ ‫‪ 2013‬الســتخدام خدمــات تكنولوجيــة املعلومــات‬ ‫(آي‪ .‬يت)‪ ،‬وهــي نســبة تعــادل ضعفــي مثياتهــا‬ ‫يف بعــض الــدول األوروبيــة مثــل فرنســا وأملانيــا‪.‬‬ ‫وخلصــت الدراســة إىل أن الــرشكات الصغــرة‬ ‫واملتوســطة تعتمــد اعتــادا ً كبــرا ً عــى شــبكة‬

‫ مــن وجهــة نظــر أصحــاب العمــل‪ ،‬تحتــل‬‫العوامــل اآلتيــة مراتــب متقدمــة مقارنــة بالربــح‬ ‫املــادي‪:‬‬ ‫• نســبة ‪ %89‬تؤكــد عــى االســتقالية يف إتخــاذ‬

‫ مــن وجهــة نظــر املســتثمرين يف الــرشكات‬‫الصغــرية‪ ،‬تحتــل العوامــل اآلتيــة مراتــب متقدمــة‬ ‫مقارنــة بالربــح املــادي‪:‬‬ ‫• تؤكــد نســبة ‪ %24‬عــى االبتعــاد عــن أجــواء‬ ‫العمــل يف الــرشكات التجاريــة الكبــرة ومــا يصاحبها‬ ‫مــن تحديــد لاســتقالية‪.‬‬ ‫• تؤكــد نســبة ‪ %23‬عــى املوازنــة بــن العمــل‬ ‫والحيــاة املهنيــة‪.‬‬ ‫• تؤكــد نســبة ‪ %15‬عــى تحقيــق االحــام والــذات‪،‬‬ ‫بينــا هــذا العامــل يشــكل نســبة ‪ %18‬ألصحــاب‬ ‫الــرشكات املتكونــة مــن ‪ 6+‬عــال‪.‬‬ ‫ـم الحصــول عليهــا يف املراحــل‬ ‫ب‪ .‬املنافــع التــي تـ ّ‬ ‫املتقدمــة مــن عمــر الرشكــة‪:‬‬ ‫• الضانــة املاديــة (املاليــة) تتقــدم بنســبة ‪،%72‬‬ ‫وال تختلــف أهميتهــا باختــاف عــدد العاملــن‬ ‫بالرشكــة‪.‬‬ ‫• تؤكــد نســبة ‪ %28‬عــى الشــعور بالنجــاح‬ ‫بأهميــة‪.‬‬ ‫‪ .4‬مراحل التحديات‪:‬‬ ‫أكــر التحديــات التــي ميكــن أن تواجــه الــرشكات‬ ‫الصغــرة واملتوســطة غالبـاً مــا تظهــر خــال املراحــل‬ ‫املتقدمــة مــن عمــل الرشكــة‪ ،‬وهــي املراحــل التي تي‬ ‫مرحلــة التأســيس‪ .‬لكــن أغلــب التحديــات تتضــاءل‬ ‫بعــد مــرور ثــاث ســنوات عــى إنشــاء الرشكــة‪ ،‬إذا‬ ‫مــا واظبــت الرشكــة عــى أســس عمــل علميــة‪ .‬وهــذا‬ ‫ال يعنــي عــدم وجــود تحديــات يف بدايــة تأســيس‬ ‫الرشكــة‪ .‬وتظهــر نســبة التحديــات كاآليت‪:‬‬

‫‪ECONOMIC FOCUS CHAMBER NEWS‬‬

‫• حجم امليزانية‪.‬‬ ‫وتهــدف الحكومــة الﱪيطانيــة مــن اســتخدام هذه‬ ‫املعايــري يف تعريــﻒ الــرشكات الصغــرية واملتوســطة‬ ‫إىل اآلﻲﺗ‪-:‬‬ ‫• تشجيع وتعزيز عمل هذه الرشكات‪،‬‬ ‫• تســهيل حصــول هــذه الــرشكات عــى التمويــل‬ ‫الــازم‪،‬‬ ‫• منــع اســاءة اســتخدام هــذه النــوع مــن الــرشكات‬ ‫ألغـراض غــر مجديــة اقتصاديـاً واجتاعياً‪،‬‬ ‫• تعزيز وتشجيع االبتكار واالخراع‪،‬‬ ‫• تشــجيع التنميــة الحديثــة مــن خــال تســهيل‬ ‫طريــق األفــراد إىل عــامل البحــوث والتطــور‪.‬‬ ‫مثـاً؛ تقيــم الحكومــة الريطانيــة حجــم املســاعدة‬ ‫والتســهيات التــي متنحهــا للــرشكات الصغــرة‬ ‫واملتوســطة مــن خــال دراســة حالة هــذه الرشكات‬ ‫بشــكل دائــم‪ .‬فــإذا مــا أظهــر التقيــم الســنوي‬ ‫لعمــل الرشكــة زيــادة رأســالها بشــكل ملحــوظ‬ ‫بينــا يظهــر التقيــم بقــاء عــدد العاملــن بالرشكــة‬ ‫دون تغــر‪ .‬يف هــذه الحالــة‪ ،‬ســتعيد الحكومــة‬ ‫تقيــم حجــم املســاعدة املمنوحــة للرشكــة‪ ،‬ذلــك‬

‫مــن أجــل الحــوؤل دون حصــول الــرشكات ذوات‬ ‫العائــد املــايل الكبــر مــن التمتــع بنفس التســهيات‬ ‫واملعونــات التــي تحصــل عليهــا الــرشكات الصغــرة‬ ‫التــي يف حاجــة ماســة لهــذه املســاعدات‪.‬‬ ‫يف مثــل هــذه الحالــة أيضـاً‪ ،‬مــن ضمن املســاعدات‬ ‫التــي ســتعيد الحكومــة النظــر فيهــا‪ ،‬اإلعانــات‬ ‫املتعلقــة بتدريــب وتأهيــل كادر الرشكــة‪ ،‬وكذلــك‬ ‫املســاعدات التــي تحصــل عليهــا الرشكــة بخصــوص‬ ‫تســويق منتجاتها‪ .‬فالــرشكات ذات الربحيــة العالية‬ ‫ميكنهــا اســتخدام جــزءا ً مــن عائداتهــا لتأهيــل‬ ‫وتدريــب كادرهــا بذاتهــا‪.‬‬

‫دراسة ميدانية بريطانية‪:‬‬

‫أجريــت دراســة ميدانيــة تحــت عنــوان “الــرشكات‬ ‫الصغــرة واملتوســطة الريطانيــة‪ :‬تنميــة اقتصاديــة‬ ‫رغــم التحديــات” أجريــت يف عــام ‪ ،2013‬شــملت‬ ‫نحــو ‪ 635‬رشكــة بريطانيــة‪ ،‬تشــغّل الواحــدة‬ ‫منهــا مــا بــن ‪ 100 - 1‬عامــل‪ ،‬وشــملت الدراســة‬ ‫اســتطاع آراء أكــر مــن ‪ 20,000‬موظــف وعامــل‬ ‫مــن العينــة‪ ،‬ونحــو ‪ 811‬شــخص مــن أصحــاب‬ ‫ومالــي هــذه الــرشكات‪.‬‬

‫أهم أهداف الدراسة‪:‬‬ ‫• تعـ ّـن أهــم العوامــل التــي تعمــل عــى تنميــة‬ ‫وتطويــر الــرشكات الصغــرة يف بريطانيــا‪.‬‬ ‫• تعــن أهــم التحديــات التــي تواجــه الــرشكات‬ ‫التــي متتلــك عوامــل النمــو والتطــور‪ ،‬وأهــم‬ ‫العوامــل التــي تعيــق عمــل الــرشكات الصغــرة‬ ‫ومتنعهــا مــن النمــو والتطــور‪.‬‬ ‫تعــن العقبــات التــي تواجــه عمــل الــرشكات‬ ‫• ّ‬ ‫الصغــرة‪ ،‬ويف أيــة مرحلــة مــن مراحــل عمــر‬ ‫الرشكــة‪.‬‬ ‫• تحديــد دور التكنولوجيــا الحديثــة يف عمــل‬ ‫الــرشكات الصغــرة‪ ،‬ومــا إذا كان دورهــا يتبايــن من‬ ‫قطــاع إىل آخــر‪ ،‬ويف أيــة مرحلــة مــن عمــر الرشكــة‬ ‫يكــون دور التكنولوجيــا أكــر أهميــة‪.‬‬ ‫• وهــل تنحــى الــرشكات الصغــرة نحــو النمــو‬ ‫لتصبــح رشكات كبــرة؟‬

‫نتائﺞ الدراسة‪:‬‬

‫‪ .1‬نوع النشاط‪:‬‬

‫أظهــرت الدراســة أن أنــواع النشــاط االقتصــادي‬ ‫التجــاري للــرشكات الصغــرة واملتوســطة يتســع‬ ‫ليشــمل كل أنــواع القطاعــات االقتصاديــة‪ ،‬مــع‬

‫ ‬

‫‪ARAB-BRITISH CHAMBER OF COMMERCE 97‬‬

‫دور النشأت الصغيرة في‬ ‫القتصادات والجتمعات ضوء‬ ‫من التجربة البريطانية‬ ‫‪The role of small enterprises in economies and‬‬ ‫‪societies: Light from the British Experience‬‬ ‫أهمية املنشأت الصغرية‬ ‫عى املستوى العاملي‪:‬‬

‫تجمــع االراء االقتصاديــة عــى األهمية املتعاظمة للمنشــأت‬ ‫الصغــرة واملتوســطة يف كل قطاعــات االقتصــاد (اإلنتــاج‪،‬‬ ‫والتوزيــع‪ ،‬والتســويق‪ ،‬وتكنولوجيــا املعلومــات)‪ ،‬وليــس أقل‬ ‫مــن ذلــك دورهــا يف املجتمــع الســيا التدريــب والتأهيــل‪،‬‬ ‫ومحاربــة البطالــة‪ ،‬تشــجيع االبتــكار واإلبــداع‪ ،‬س ـواء كان‬ ‫ذلــك يف البــاد املتقدمــة صناعيـاً أو يف الــدول الناميــة‪.‬‬

‫وتشــر أحــدث اإلحصائيــات‪ ،‬أن هــذه املنشــأت الصغــرة‬ ‫واملتوســطة متثــل ‪ %90‬مــن إجــايل الــرشكات يف معظــم‬ ‫اقتصاديــات العــامل‪ ،‬كــا تســهم هــذه املنشــأت بأكــر مــن‬ ‫‪ %46‬مــن الناتــج العاملــي اإلجــايل‪ ،‬وهــي توفــر مابــن‬ ‫‪ %80 - %40‬مــن إجــايل فــرص العمــل يف العــامل‪.‬‬

‫أهميتها عى مستوى‬ ‫الدول املتقدمة‪:‬‬

‫يف الــدول املتقدمــة‪ ،‬كان قطــاع املنشــأت الصغــرة‬ ‫واملتوســطة والي ـزال املحــرك األســايس للنمــو االقتصــادي‪.‬‬ ‫وأصبحــت مــع مــرور الوقــت القاطــرة التــي تجــذب‬ ‫اقتصاديــات هــذه الــدول نحــو النمــو والتقــدم املتواصــل‪.‬‬ ‫ويف الــدول املتقدمــة‪ ،‬تســهم املنشــأت الصغرة واملتوســطة‬ ‫بنســبة ‪ %95‬مــن الناتــج املحــي اإلجــايل‪ ،‬ومتثــل هــذه‬ ‫املنشــأت نســبة ‪ %92‬مــن مجمــوع املؤسســات يف هــذه‬ ‫الــدول‪ .‬وتوفــر مابــن ‪ %80 %- 60‬مــن فــرص العمــل‪.‬‬

‫ففــي الواليــات املتحــدة األمريكيــة‪ ،‬تشــر اإلحصــاءات‬ ‫الرســمية أن املنشــأت الصغــرة واملتوســطة وفــرت يف عــام‬ ‫‪ 2014‬أكــر مــن ‪ %60‬مــن فــرص التشــغيل والتوظيــف‪،‬‬ ‫وســاهمت يف تحقيــق أكــر مــن نســبة ‪ %51‬مــن إجــايل‬ ‫الناتــج القومــي األمريــي‪.‬‬ ‫ويف اليابــان‪ ،‬تســتوعب هــذه املنشــأت أكــر مــن نســبة‬ ‫‪ %60‬مــن إجــايل عــدد العاملــن يف قطــاع الصناعــات‬ ‫التحويليــة‪ ،‬إال أن نســبة التوظيــف يف املنشــأت الصناعيــة‬ ‫الكبــرة يف اليابــان مل تتجــاوز نســبة ‪ %20‬فقــط مــن حجــم‬ ‫العالــة اليابانيــة‪.‬‬ ‫ويف أملانيــا‪ ،‬تشــكل املؤسســات الصغــرة واملتوســطة مــا‬ ‫نســبته وتشــكل ‪ %40‬مــن االقتصــاد األملــاين‪.‬‬ ‫ويف بريطانيــا‪ ،‬أظهــرت إحصــاءات رســمية يف عــام ‪2014‬‬ ‫أن الــرشكات الصغــرة واملتوســطة تشــكل أكــر مــن‬ ‫نســبة ‪ %93‬مــن مجمــوع الــرشكات الريطانيــة‪ ،‬وهــو مــا‬ ‫يقــارب مــن ‪ 5‬مليــون رشكــة يف اململكــة املتحــدة‪ .‬وتســهم‬ ‫املشــاريع الصغــرة واملتوســطة بنحــو ‪ %85‬مــن إجــايل‬ ‫الناتــج املحــي اإلجــايل يف بريطانيــا‪ .‬وتســتوعب هــذه‬ ‫الــرشكات أكــر مــن نســبة ‪ %75‬مــن فــرص التشــغيل يف‬ ‫اململكــة املتحــدة‪ .‬وهــذا يشــمل نســبة ‪ %64‬مــن قبــل‬ ‫الــرشكات الصغــرة‪ ،‬ونســبة ‪ %11‬مــن قبــل الــرشكات‬ ‫متوســطة الحجــم‪ .‬وتــأيت نســبة ‪ %51.3‬مــن رأس املــال‬ ‫التجــاري يف اململكــة املتحــدة‪ ،‬أو مــا يقــارب عــى ‪2.4£‬‬ ‫مليــار جنيــة إســرليني‪ ،‬مــن قبــل الــرشكات متوســطة‬

‫وصغــرة الحجــم‪ ،‬وهــذا يشــمل نســبة ‪ %37‬مــن رأس‬ ‫املــال التجــاري مــن الــرشكات الصغــرة ونســبة ‪ %14.3‬من‬ ‫الــرشكات متوســطة الحجــم‪.‬‬

‫أهميتها ومكانتها يف الدول‬ ‫النامية‪:‬‬

‫يف الــدول الناميــة‪ ،‬تحتــل املنشــأت الصغــرة واملتوســطة‬ ‫مكانــة متميــزة وذات أهميــة قصــوى ضمــن أولويــات‬ ‫التنميــة االقتصاديــة واالجتاعيــة عــى حـ ّد سـواء‪ .‬وعــى‬ ‫صعيــد الــدول العربيــة‪ ،‬فعــى الرغــم مــن أهميتهــا البالغة‬ ‫لاقتصــاد واملجتمــع‪ ،‬إال أن دور هــذه املنشــأت‬ ‫اليــزال متواضعــاً جــدا ً‪ ،‬فهــي التســهم إال بنســبة‬ ‫‪ %20‬مــن الناتــج املحــي اإلجــايل تقريبـاً يف أغلــب‬ ‫الــدول العربيــة‪ ،‬وتســتوعب مــا بــن ‪%50 %- 40‬‬ ‫مــن فــرص التشــغيل ملواطنيهــا فقــط‪.‬‬

‫تعريﻒ املنشآت الصغرية‬ ‫واملتوسطة‪:‬‬

‫يف بريطانيــا‪ ،‬بشــكل عــام‪ ،‬تصنــﻒ املنشــأت‬ ‫الصغــرية واملتوســطة حســب واحــدة أو أكــﺮﺜ مــن‬ ‫الخصائــص الثــالث اآلتيــة‪:‬‬ ‫• عدد العاملن‪،‬‬ ‫• حجم رأس املال ودورة رأس املال‪،‬‬

‫‪ECONOMIC FOCUS CHAMBER NEWS‬‬

‫أوملبيــاد لنــدن ‪ ،2012‬أو هكــذا يراهــا الريطانيــون‪،‬‬ ‫عــر طلــب تعليــق علــم االتحــاد األورويب يف كافــة‬ ‫املناســبات الرياضيــة أثناء اســتضافة لنــدن لأللعاب‬ ‫باعتبارهــا بلــدا ً أوروبيــاً‪ ،‬وباعتبــار االســتضافة‬ ‫الريطانيــة تلــك أوروبيــة يف نفــس الوقــت‪.‬‬ ‫بالنســبة للثقافــة والتعليم‪ ،‬قامت بروكســل بتطوير‬ ‫كتيّــب “لنكتشــف أوروبــا” لطــاب املــدارس‪،‬‬ ‫والــذي يحــاول رســم صــورة مختلفــة لهويتهــم‬ ‫مــن ســن مبكــرة‪ ،‬كــا قــال مديــر املطبوعــات يف‬ ‫املفوضيــة األوروبيــة رصاحــة‪ ،‬حيــث أكــد عــى‬ ‫رضورة تعــ ّرض األطفــال للدعايــا األوروبيــة قبــل‬ ‫أن تســيطر عليهــم رؤى أخــرى‪ ،‬وهــو يقصــد طبعـاً‬ ‫الــرؤى الثقافيــة والقوميــة العاديــة التــي تتســم بها‬ ‫أوروبــا منــذ قــرون‪ ،‬مــا يعنــي ببســاطة محاولــة‬ ‫تغيــر الطابــع الثقــايف الخــاص لــكل بلــد لصالــح‬ ‫هويــة أوروبيــة ملســاء بــا ُعمــق أو معنــى‪ ،‬كــا‬ ‫يقــول منتقــدي االتحــاد يف بريطانيــا‪ ،‬ويف دول كثرة‬ ‫أخــرى مثــل فرنســا‪.‬‬ ‫هــذه إذا ً هــي بعــض أســباب عــدم التوافــق املتزايد‬ ‫بــن لنــدن وبروكســل‪ ،‬ولكــن الســؤال التــايل اآلن‬ ‫هــو‪ :‬مــاذا يحــدث إذا مــا خرجــت بريطانيــا فعـ ًـا‬ ‫مــن االتحــاد؟‬

‫بريطانيا ما بعد خروجها‬ ‫من االتحاد األورويب‪:‬‬

‫إذا مــا صــ ّوت الريطانيــون لصالــح الخــروج‬ ‫بالفعــل عــام ‪ ،2017‬فــإن لنــدن ســتحتاج إىل‬ ‫اتخــاذ إج ـراءات الســتيعاب الكثــر مــن التحــوالت‬ ‫يف الداخــل‪ ،‬والوصــول لرتيبــات جديــدة بديلــة‬ ‫للقوانــن األوروبيــة مــع قطاعــات بريطانية واســعة‬ ‫كانــت تســتفيد منهــا‪ ،‬وأبــرز مثــال هنــا هــو واليتي‬ ‫وِســت ويلــز ‪ West Wales‬وكورنــوول ‪،Cornwall‬‬ ‫واللتــان تســتفيدان مــن متويــل االتحــاد األورويب‬ ‫لصالــح التنميــة واملشــاريع املجتمعيــة وغرهــا‪،‬‬ ‫وهــو متويــل وصــل لحــوايل ‪ 4.5‬مليــار جنيــه‬ ‫إســرليني ســنوياً‪.‬‬ ‫باإلضافــة لذلــك‪ ،‬ســيحتاج فاحــو بريطانيــا إىل‬ ‫بديــل عــن الدعــم الــذي كانــوا يحصلــون عليــه‬ ‫مبوجــب السياســة األوروبيــة الزراعيــة املشــركة‪،‬‬ ‫وهــو مــا يعنــي أنهــم ســيواجهون منافســة عنيفــة‬ ‫يف الســوق مــن نظرائهــم داخــل أوروبــا إذا مــا مل‬

‫تعطهــم بريطانيــا بديــاً للدعــم األورويب‪ ،‬وهــو‬ ‫بديــل ال يبــدو أنــه ســيمر بســهولة إذ تعــرض عليه‬ ‫بعــض أح ـزاب اليمــن التــي تــرى يف ذلــك تدخ ـاً‬ ‫مــن الدولــة يف االقتصــاد‪ .‬أيضـاً‪ ،‬ســيحتاج أصحــاب‬ ‫املصانــع إىل االحتفــاظ بنظــام مو ّحــد للمعايــر مــع‬ ‫الســوق األوروبيــة حتــى بعــد خــروج بادهــم مــن‬ ‫االتحــاد ليســتطيعوا الحفــاظ عــى نفــس مســتوى‬ ‫الجــودة‪ ،‬ويتمكنــوا مــن تصديــر منتجاتهــم إىل‬ ‫بلــدان أوروبــا بســهولة كــا يفعلــون اآلن‪.‬‬ ‫النقطــة األبــرز واألكــر ســخونة ســتكون يف العالة‬ ‫األجنبيــة القادمــة مــن رشق أوروبــا‪ ،‬والتــي‬ ‫تنتقــل إىل بريطانيــا بســهولة نتيجــة وجودهــا يف‬ ‫االتحــاد‪ ،‬حيــث يقــول معــارض االتحــاد األورويب‬ ‫يف بريطانيــا إن لهــا أثــر ســلبي عــى البــاد‪،‬‬ ‫ثقافيــاً بكونهــم غريبــن عنهــا‪ ،‬واقتصاديــاً نظــرا ً‬ ‫ملنافســتهم للريطانيــن عــى الوظائــف‪ ،‬ورفعهــم‬ ‫ألســعار العقــارات والســلع‪ ،‬لذلــك‪ ،‬التخلّــص‬ ‫مــن هــؤالء‪ ،‬أو الحــد مــن وفودهــم عــى األقــل‪،‬‬ ‫يُ َعــد هدفــاً رئيســياً مــن الخــروج مــن االتحــاد‬ ‫بالنســبة لحــزب مثــل اســتقال بريطانيــا‪ ،‬وهــو‬ ‫إجــراء ســ ُيقلِق كافــة الــرشكات ورواد األعــال‬ ‫الذيــن يعتمــدون عــى تلــك العالــة الرخيصــة يف‬ ‫تخفيــض التكاليــف‪.‬‬ ‫باملثــل‪ ،‬ســيصبح الريطانيــون املوجــودون يف بلــدان‬ ‫أوروبــا يف ليلــة وضحاهــا مهاجريــن غــر رشعيــن‪،‬‬ ‫وســتصبح صــادرات بريطانيــا ُعرضــة لقيود الســوق‬ ‫األوروبيــة باعتبارهــا دولــة خــارج االتحــاد‪ ،‬حيــث‬ ‫ميكــن فــرض رضائــب عليهــا‪ ،‬كــا ســيكون دخــول‬ ‫رأس املــال األورويب إىل الســوق الريطــاين أصعــب‬ ‫مــن ذي قبــل‪ ،‬وهــو مــا ســيؤثر بالطبــع عــى‬ ‫االقتصــاد وقــد يزيــد األوضــاع املاليــة تدهــورا ً‪،‬‬ ‫الســيا وأن القطــاع املــايل الريطــاين مل يتعــاف‬ ‫بالكامــل مــن أزمــة ‪.2008‬‬ ‫عــى صعيــد آخــر‪ ،‬ال يبــدو أن بريطانيــا ســتراجع‬ ‫بالكامــل كدولــة هامشــية نظــرا ً لقوتهــا كاتحــاد‬ ‫منفصــل‪ ،‬فلنــدن هــي واحــدة مــن أبــرز املراكــز‬ ‫املاليــة واالقتصاديــة يف العــامل‪ ،‬كــا أنهــا ســتوفر‬ ‫بخروجهــا ‪ 8‬مليــارات إســرليني تدفعهــا ســنوياً‬ ‫لاتحــاد األورويب لتمويــل ميزانيتــه‪ ،‬وستســتطيع‬ ‫إنفــاق تلــك األمــوال يف الداخــل‪ ،‬أضــف إىل ذلــك‬ ‫أن بريطانيــا متلــك القــدرة عــى تعزيــز الروابــط‬ ‫مــع دول الكومنوولــث‪ ،‬والتــي ســرحب بالــدور‬ ‫الريطــاين‪ ،‬الســيا كنــدا وأســراليا والهنــد‪ ،‬كــا‬

‫متلــك تحويــل قبلتهــا االقتصاديــة والسياســية نحــو‬ ‫الواليــات املتحــدة األمريكيــة بشــكل أكــر‪.‬‬ ‫ومــع ذلــك‪ ،‬وعــى عكــس مــا يعتقــد كثــرون‪،‬‬ ‫وب ُحكــم وجودهــا جغرافيــاً يف القــارة األوروبيــة‬ ‫يف نهايــة األمــر‪ ،‬ســتبدأ بريطانيــا مفاوضــات‬ ‫طويلــة إليجــاد صيغــة جديــدة للتعايــش مــع‬ ‫بروكســل‪ ،‬والحــل امل ُتــاح واألبــرز حاليــاً هــو‬ ‫الخــروج مــن االتحــاد مــع البقــاء داخــل املنطقــة‬ ‫االقتصاديــة األوروبيــة‪ ،‬والتــي تضــم الرنويــج‪،‬‬ ‫وهــي ُمه َن َدســة خصيصــاً للــدول التــي رفضــت‬ ‫عضويــة االتحــاد واليــورو‪ ،‬ولكــن ال تريــد أن يتــم‬ ‫معاملتهــا ومواطنيهــا ورشكاتهــا كبلــد أجنبــي مثلــه‬ ‫مثــل الصــن أو الهنــد يخضــع للجــارك‪ ،‬وهــو مــا‬ ‫ســيعطي املــال الريطــاين ســهولة التواجــد يف ســوق‬ ‫أوروبــا دون التقيّــد بسياســاتها‪ ،‬أمــا الحــل الثــاين‬ ‫فهــو بلــورة اتفاقيــة ثنائيــة بــن لنــدن وبروكســل‬ ‫مثــل تلــك التــي متلكهــا ســويرسا غــر العضــوة هي‬ ‫األخــرى‪.‬‬ ‫ويبقــى األمــر يف طــي االنتظــار مــا إذا كانــت‬ ‫بريطانيــا ســتخرج مــن االتحــاد أم ال‪ ،‬فهــي مســألة‬ ‫ستكشــف عنهــا الســنوات القليلــة املقبلــة‪ ،‬ولكنــه‬ ‫يبــدو ســيناريو مرجحــاً بقــوة نظــرا ً لتزايــد رواج‬ ‫الفكــرة بــن الريطانيــن‪ ،‬وعــدم وجــود أي رغبــة‬ ‫يف بروكســل أو برلــن يف منــح بريطانيــا املزيــد مــن‬ ‫املرونــة يف عضويتهــا األوروبيــة‪.‬‬ ‫أخذ بترف من املصادر التالية‪-:‬‬ ‫* عبد االمر رويح‪ :‬هل ستخرج بريطانيا من االتحاد‬ ‫األورويب قريباً؟‬ ‫‪http://annabaa.org/arabic/reports/4621/prin‬‬ ‫* د‪ .‬فهد إبراهيم الشري‪ :‬بريطانيا واالتحاد االٔورويب‪..‬‬ ‫طلقة واحدة أو ثاث؟‬ ‫‪http://www.startimes.com/f.aspx?t=32075611‬‬ ‫* نقاش ‘با محظورات’ يف محادثات إبقاء بريطانيا‬ ‫باالتحاد األورويب ميدل ايست أوناين‬ ‫‪http://www.middle-east-online.com/?id=213537‬‬

‫‪ARAB-BRITISH CHAMBER OF COMMERCE 99‬‬

‫ويف اســتطاعات ماثلــة أجريــت يف شــهر حزيـران‬ ‫ومتــوز وأيلــول ‪ ،2015‬كانــت الغالبيــة فيهــا تريــد‬ ‫البقــاء يف التكتــل األورويب عــى اعتقــاد بــأن‬ ‫انســحاب بريطانيــا مــن االتحــاد األورويب ســيهز‬ ‫االتحــاد بشــدة ويحرمــه مــن ثــاين أكــر اقتصــاد‬ ‫فيــه وواحــدة مــن أكــر قوتــن عســكريتن بــه‪.‬‬ ‫ويحــذر املؤيــدون ألوروبــا مــن أن االنســحاب‬ ‫ســيرض االقتصــاد الريطــاين وقــد يــؤدي لتفــكك‬ ‫اململكــة املتحــدة وتصويــت اإلســكتلندين لصالــح‬ ‫االســتقال‪ ،‬وأظهــرت اســتطاعات أخــرى للــرأي ان‬ ‫تأييــد الريطانيــن للبقــاء يف االتحــاد االورويب تراجع‬ ‫هــذا العــام مــع توافــد املهاجريــن عــى أوروبــا ما‬ ‫أثــار مخــاوف بشــأن العضويــة‪.‬‬ ‫مــن ناحيــة أخــرى أظهــر اســتطاع للــرأي أجــري‬ ‫يف بدايــة شــهر كانــون األول ‪ 2015‬أن نســبة‬ ‫الريطانيــن الراغبــن يف الخــروج مــن االتحــاد‬ ‫األورويب ارتفعــت إىل ‪ %51‬يف حــن يؤيــد ‪%49‬‬ ‫يريــدون البقــاء باالتحــاد‪.‬‬ ‫وقالــت رشكــة سرفيشــن التــي أجــرت االســتطاع‬ ‫إنــه يظهــر ارتفــاع نســبة الراغبــن يف االنســحاب‬ ‫مــن االتحــاد األورويب ثــاث نقــاط مئويــة مقارنــة‬ ‫مــع االســتطاع الســابق الــذي أجــري يف ‪ 17‬ترشيــن‬ ‫الثــاين ‪.2015‬‬

‫وأجــري اســتطاع شــمل أكــر مــن عــرشة آالف‬ ‫شــخص عــر اإلنرنــت يف الفــرة مــن ‪ 30‬ترشيــن‬ ‫الثــاين إىل الثالــث مــن كانــون األول ويحمــل هامش‬ ‫خطــأ يبلــغ ‪ 1‬باملئــة‪ .‬وأجــرت سرفيشــن االســتطاع‬ ‫لصالــح تحالــف الدميقراطيــة املبــارشة يف أوروبــا‬ ‫وهــو تجمــع ألحــزاب سياســية أوروبيــة تشــكك‬ ‫يف االتحــاد األورويب مــن بينهــا حــزب اســتقال‬ ‫اململكــة املتحــدة‪.‬‬

‫بني االقتصاد والثقافة‪:‬‬ ‫بريطانيون ال أوربيون‬

‫يعــرف كثــرون أن الثقافــة االقتصاديــة والسياســية‬ ‫يف لنــدن أقــرب كث ـرا ً لنظرتهــا يف واشــنطن منهــا‬ ‫إىل برلــن أو باريــس‪ ،‬فالثقافــات والفلســفات‬ ‫األنجلوساكســونية تفضَ ــل هامشــاً واســعاً مــن‬ ‫الحريــة وتدخـاً ضئيـاً مــن املؤسســات‪ ،‬يف مقابــل‬ ‫ثقافــة أوروبيــة تح ّبــذ الركيــز عــى حايــة الفــرد‬ ‫وتزويــده بحقوقــه أكــر منهــا اهتام ـاً بحريتــه أو‬ ‫إبداعــه‪ ،‬وبينــا يركــز شــعب مثــل األملــان عــى‬ ‫فكــرة النظــام والتناغــم يف العمــل‪ ،‬فــإن اإلنجليــز‬ ‫واألمريكيــن يهمهــم النتيجــة يف النهايــة‪ ،‬ولذلــك‬ ‫تتســم فلســفتهم‪ ،‬كــا هــي طريقــة لعبهــم لكــرة‬ ‫القــدم‪ ،‬بالراجاتيــة‪ ،‬مقابــل ميكانيكيــة األملــان‪.‬‬

‫ ‬

‫بالطبــع هنــاك خافــات بــن دول أوروبــا وبعضهــا‪،‬‬ ‫خاصــة بــن دول الشــال ودول املتوســط‪ ،‬وهــو‬ ‫مــا يجعــل ُحجــة اتحــاد اقتصــادي قــوي دون أي‬ ‫وحــدة سياســية أو ثقافيــة فكــرة مناســبة‪ ،‬بيــد أن‬ ‫بروكســل منــذ ســنوات طويلــة تحــاول بــث نــوع‬ ‫مــن الثقافــة األوروبيــة املشــركة‪ ،‬وشــد حبــال‬ ‫الســلطة السياســية بشــكل أكــر نظـرا ً لألزمــة التــي‬ ‫تعصــف باليــورو وازديــاد ثِ َقــل أملانيــا‪ ،‬وهــو أمــر‬ ‫بالطبــع ال يعجــب الريطانيــن‪.‬‬ ‫أبــرز مثــال عــى ذلــك هــو محــاوالت خلــق هويــة‬ ‫أوروبيــة غــر موجــودة عــى األرض‪ ،‬فاالتحــاد‬ ‫األورويب اآلن أصبــح لــه نشــيد (وهــو عبــارة عــن‬ ‫مقطــع موســيقي لبيتهوفــن بــدون كلــات نظ ـرا ً‬ ‫لتعــدد اللغــات األوروبيــة!) ومحكمــة وبنــك‬ ‫مركــزي‪ ،‬وتجــري محــاوالت لتوحيــد كافــة البنــوك‬ ‫املوجــودة يف بلدانــه‪ ،‬بــل ودمــج ميزانيــات الــدول‬ ‫مجتمعــة لتج ّنــب ‪ -‬أو هكــذا يعتقــد األملــان عــى‬ ‫األقــل ‪ -‬ســوء إدارة األمــوال يف دول عــدة‪.‬‬ ‫عــى املســتوى الرمــزي‪ ،‬حــاول الرملــان األورويب‬ ‫إجبــار أنديــة كــرة القــدم عــى وضــع نجــوم االتحاد‬ ‫األورويب إىل جانــب شــعارها عــى الفانــات التــي‬ ‫يرتديهــا الاعبــون‪ ،‬وهــي محاولــة فشــلت يف نهايــة‬ ‫املطــاف‪ ،‬أضــف إىل ذلــك محاولــة “الركــوب” عــى‬

‫‪ECONOMIC FOCUS CHAMBER NEWS‬‬

‫يف الســياق ذاتــه هــدد وزيــر الخارجيــة األملــاين‬ ‫فرانــك فالــر شــتايناير بإتخــاذ إجـراء قانــوين ضــد‬ ‫دول االتحــاد األورويب التــي ترفــض قبــول الجئــن‬ ‫مبوجــب برنامــج الحصــص الــذي وضعــه االتحــاد‪.‬‬ ‫وقــال الوزيــر يف مقابلــة مــع صحيفــة ديــر شــبيغل‬ ‫األملانيــة “إذا مل يتســن حــل املشــاكل بطــرق أخرى‪،‬‬ ‫فســتحل مــن خــال القنــوات القانونيــة املامئــة”‪،‬‬ ‫مضيف ـاً أن أوروبــا هــي مجتمــع قانــون‪.‬‬ ‫وأوضحــت النقاشــات أنــه ال أحــد‪ ،‬مبــن يف ذلــك‬ ‫كامــرون‪ ،‬مســتعد لقبــول متييــز‪ ،‬حيــث قــال رئيس‬ ‫املجلــس األورويب “هــذا غــر مقبــول واملؤكــد أن‬ ‫هــذه ليســت نيــة رشيكنــا الريطــاين”‪ ،‬بينــا قالت‬ ‫املستشــارة األملانيــة أنجيــا مــركل التــي تتزعــم‬ ‫أكــر دول االتحــاد نفــوذا ً “إن هنــاك إرادة عــى‬ ‫نطــاق واســع للتوصــل إىل اتفــاق إلبقــاء بريطانيــا‬ ‫يف االتحــاد األورويب”‪ .‬وأضافــت “أوضحنــا أننــا‬ ‫مســتعدون للوصــول لحــل وســط لكــن عى أســاس‬ ‫يضمــن املبــادئ األوروبيــة األساســية التــي تشــمل‬ ‫عــدم التمييــز وحريــة الحركــة”‪.‬‬ ‫مــن جانــب آخــر قــال رئيــس الــوزراء البلجيــي‬ ‫شــارل ميشــيل أن رئيــس الــوزراء الريطــاين ديفيــد‬ ‫كامــرون أبــدى اســتعداده لتحقيــق تــوازن يف‬ ‫مطالــب بــاده إلصــاح االتحــاد األورويب‪ .‬وقــال‬ ‫ميشــيل “خلصــت إىل أن كامرون مســتعد للوصول‬ ‫إىل حلــول وأبــدى اســتعداده لبــذل جهــد إليجــاد‬ ‫تــوازن جيــد بشــأن النقــاط األربــع قيــد البحــث”‪.‬‬ ‫مــن جانــب آخــر قــال رئيــس الــوزراء اإلســتوين تايف‬ ‫رويفــاس إن تقدمـاً جيــدا ً قــد تحقــق يف محادثــات‬ ‫القمــة بشــأن مطالــب اإلصــاح الريطانيــة وعــر‬ ‫عــن اعتقــاده باحتــال التوصــل إلتفــاق‪ ،‬وقــال‬ ‫رويفاســن “مــا زال أمامنــا الكثــر مــن العمــل‬ ‫لكننــي أعتقــد أنــه ســيتم التوصــل إىل اتفــاق”‪.‬‬ ‫ويف رســالة موجهة لرئيــس املجلــس األورويب دونالد‬ ‫توســك‪ ،‬كشــف الوزيــر األول الريطــاين أن بــاده‬ ‫ترفــض أن يتعامــل االتحــاد األورويب مبنطــق التمييز‬ ‫مــع الــدول الغــر عضــوة يف منطقــة اليــورو‪ ،‬وأن‬ ‫يركــز عــى تنافســية الســوق ومينحهــا صاحيــات‬ ‫واســعة ملراقبــة الهجــرة‪ .‬إىل جانــب ذلــك‪ ،‬حــذر‬ ‫رئيــس مجلــس أوروبــا دونالــد توســك مــن ان‬ ‫بعــض اإلصاحــات التــي طالــب بهــا رئيــس الــوزراء‬ ‫الريطــاين ديفيــد كامــرون قبــل االســتفتاء حــول‬ ‫إبقــاء بريطانيــا يف االتحــاد االورويب “غــر مقبولــة”‪.‬‬ ‫وقــال توســك ان املشــاورات قبــل القمــة االوروبيــة‬

‫“أظهــرت حســن نيــة كافــة األطـراف املعنيــن لكــن‬ ‫هــذا ال يغــر كــون بعــض املقرحــات الريطانيــة‬ ‫غــر مقبولــة”‪.‬‬ ‫وقــال رئيــس املجلــس األورويب‪ ،‬دونالــد توســك‪،‬‬ ‫الــذي يــرأس املفاوضــات التــي يجريهــا االتحــاد‬ ‫األورويب مــع لنــدن بهــدف إبقــاء بريطانيــا يف‬ ‫االتحــاد بعــد إجــراء بعــض اإلصاحــات “إن‬ ‫الخافــات مازالــت كبــرة يف بضــع نقــاط”‪ ،‬مطالبـاً‬ ‫بــأن يكــون النقــاش يف هــذا الشــأن أثنــاء قمــة‬ ‫االتحــاد األورويب التــي ُعقــدت يف منتصــف شــهر‬ ‫كانــون األول ‪“ ،2015‬بــا محظــورات”‪.‬‬ ‫وحســب القــادة األوروبيــن‪ ،‬فــإن اإلصاحــات‬ ‫التــي تنتظرهــا لنــدن مــن االتحــاد األورويب تبــدو‬ ‫“صعبــة”‪ ،‬غــر أن تقدمـاً حصــل خــال املشــاورات‬ ‫الثنائيــة حــول هــذا املوضــوع مــع الــدول األعضــاء‪.‬‬

‫انقسام املجتمع‪:‬‬

‫يف الســياق ذاتــه أطلــق حــزب العــال الريطــاين‬ ‫حملتــه لبقــاء بريطانيــا يف االتحــاد االورويب‪،‬‬ ‫وقــال ان اعتــداءات باريــس اإلرهابيــة تظهــر‬ ‫رضورة “الوقــوف جنبــاً إىل جنــب” مــع الــرشكاء‬ ‫األوروبيــن‪ .‬وكانــت حكومــة املحافظــن الريطانيــة‬ ‫وعــدت بإج ـراء اســتفتاء عــى البقــاء أو الخــروج‬ ‫مــن االتحــاد االورويب بنهايــة ‪ ،2017‬وأظهــرت‬ ‫اســتطاعات الــراي األخــرة انقســام الريطانيــن‬ ‫بشــان هــذه املســالة رغــم أن جميــع األحــزاب‬

‫الرئيســية تقــوم بحمــات للدعــوة إىل البقــاء يف‬ ‫االتحــاد‪.‬‬ ‫وأطلــق وزيــر الداخليــة الســابق آالن جونســون‬ ‫حملــة حزبــه املؤيــدة للبقــاء يف االتحــاد الــذي‬ ‫يضــم ‪ 28‬عضــوا‪ ،‬يف مدينــة برمنغهام وســط إنجلرا‪،‬‬ ‫وقــال أن بريطانيــا ســتكون أقــل آمانــاً يف حــال‬ ‫خروجهــا مــن االتحــاد‪ .‬وأضــاف أن “الواجــب األول‬ ‫أليــة حكومــة هــو الحفــاظ عــى أمــن البــاد‪ ،‬وأنــا‬ ‫اعتقــد ان الخــروج مــن االتحــاد األورويب ســيكون‬ ‫عكــس ذلــك”‪.‬‬ ‫وأضــاف “أن الــدرس مــن (اعتــداءات باريــس)‬ ‫واضــح وهــو انــه ملواجهــة اإلرهــاب يجــب أن‬ ‫نقــف جنبــاً إىل جنــب مــع رشكائنــا يف أوروبــا‪.‬‬ ‫‪,‬إن أمــن بريطانيــا مرتبــط بشــكل وثيــق بالبقــاء‬ ‫يف أوروبــا”‪ .‬وقــال جونســون أن “أرضارا ً” ســتلحق‬ ‫بقطاعــات العمــل والعلــم والــرشكات والجامعــات‬ ‫التــي وصفهــا بأنها “ســتتقلص” يف بريطانيــا يف حال‬ ‫الخــروج مــن االتحــاد األورويب‪.‬‬ ‫مــن جانــب آخــر أظهــر اســتطاع للــرأي نرشتــه‬ ‫صحيفــة إندبندنــت وأجــري بعــد الهجــات التــي‬ ‫تعرضــت لهــا العاصمــة الفرنســية باريــس أن أكــر‬ ‫مــن نصــف الريطانيــن يريــدون اآلن االنســحاب‬ ‫مــن االتحــاد األورويب‪ .‬وشــمل اســتطاع أو‪.‬آر‪.‬‬ ‫يب ‪ 2000‬شــخص وأظهــر أن ‪ %52‬مــن الناخبــن‬ ‫الريطانيــن يريــدون الخــروج مــن االتحــاد األورويب‬ ‫بينــا يريــد ‪ %48‬البقــاء فيــه‪.‬‬

‫‪ARAB-BRITISH CHAMBER OF COMMERCE 101‬‬

‫ ‬

‫ويأمــل ديفيــد كامــرون اســرجاع بعــض الســلطات‬ ‫من بروكســل‪ ،‬وتشــديد رشوط الولوج للمســاعدات‬ ‫االجتاعيــة ملهاجــري االتحــاد األورويب‪ ،‬خاصــة‬ ‫القادمــن مــن أوروبــا الرشقيــة‪ .‬كــا تطمــح‬ ‫بريطانيــا أيضــاً إىل الحــد مــن الهجــرة األوروبيــة‬ ‫نحــو اململكــة‪ ،‬لكنهــا تصطــدم بحريــة التنقــل التي‬ ‫تعتمدهــا أوروبــا يف هــذا املجــال‪.‬‬

‫مخاوف‪:‬‬

‫يؤثــر املســتقبل الغامــض لريطانيــا يف االتحــاد‬ ‫االورويب كثـرا ً عــى ثقــة رجــال األعــال وقــد يؤخر‬ ‫بعــض االســتثارات‪.‬‬ ‫وحســب الخــراء‪ ،‬فــإن الخــروج مــن االتحــاد‬ ‫األورويب ســيكون مكلفــاً للمقــاوالت الريطانيــة‬ ‫والتــي ميكــن أن يراجــع رقــم أعالهــا إىل النصــف‬ ‫بســبب الخســائر املبــارشة املرتبطــة بالصــادرات‪.‬‬

‫كــا أن املوظفن الريطانين يف املقــاوالت األوروبية‬ ‫قلقــون أيضـاً بشــأن فقدانهــم ملناصبهــم‪ .‬ويتســاءل‬ ‫املقاولــون حول تقييــد محتمل للعمليــات التجارية‬ ‫وامللكيــة العقاريــة ويتخوفــون مــن فــرض رضائــب‬ ‫جديــدة عــى األجانــب‪.‬‬ ‫مــن جهــة أخــرى‪ ،‬يؤكــد املعارضــون ألوروبــا عــى‬ ‫رضورة التحــرر مــن القيــود التــي تفرضها بروكســل‪،‬‬ ‫مشــددين عــى أنهــم ال يخشــون خــروج بادهــم‬ ‫مــن االتحــاد األورويب‪ ،‬حيــث أن لنــدن ميكنهــا‬ ‫اســتبدال بســهولة الســوق األوروبيــة بــدول‬ ‫الكومنويلــث التــي تجمعهــا معهــا عاقــات وثيقــة‬ ‫يف جميــع املياديــن‪.‬‬ ‫ويعتمــد املتخوفــون مــن أوروبــا يف حملتهــم عــى‬ ‫إشــكاليتن أساســيتن‪ ،‬الهجــرة واإلرهــاب‪ ،‬حيــث‬ ‫يعتــرون أن الهجــرة هــي مصــدر التهديــد اإلرهايب‪،‬‬ ‫ويتهمــون الحكومــة بالفشــل يف تدبــر هــذا امللف‪،‬‬ ‫كــا يــدل عــى ذلــك التدفــق املتزايــد لاجئــن‬ ‫عــى الرغــم مــن تشــديد قوانــن الهجــرة‪ ،‬يف وقــت‬

‫وعــد فيــه كامــرون خــال حملتــه االنتخابيــة‬ ‫تقليــص عــدد املهاجريــن إىل حــوايل عــرشة آالف‬ ‫ســنوياً‪ .‬ويشــكل ضغــط الاجئــن عــى االقتصــاد‪،‬‬ ‫والخدمــات االجتاعيــة للمهاجريــن يف صلــب‬ ‫االســتفتاء الــذي تعتــزم بريطانيــا تنظيمــه حــول‬ ‫البقــاء أو الخــروج مــن االتحــاد األورويب‪.‬‬

‫مطالب غري مقبولة‪:‬‬

‫قــال رئيــس الــوزراء الريطــاين ديفيــد كامــرون إنــه‬ ‫يســتطيع أن يــري طريقـاً إىل اتفــاق تبقــى بريطانيــا‬ ‫مبقتضــاه يف االتحــاد األورويب‪ ،‬وقال كامــرون “ال يشء‬ ‫مضمــون يف الحيــاة وال يف بروكســل لكــن ما ســأقوله‬ ‫هــو أن هنــاك طريق ـاً إىل اتفــاق ســيتخذ يف شــهر‬ ‫ســباط ‪ ،”2016‬وعقــد كامــرون املؤمتــر الصحفــي‬ ‫بعــد مناقشــة مهمــة ملطالــب بريطانيــا بإعــادة‬ ‫التفــاوض حــول رشوط عضويــة االتحــاد وذلــك قبــل‬ ‫اســتفتاء حــول مــا إذا كانــت ســتبقى فيــه‪.‬‬

‫ويــدور نقــاش منــذ أن قــدم كامــرون مطالبــه‬ ‫لاتحــاد األورويب‪ ،‬حــول أربعــة مواضيــع رئيســية‬ ‫متهيــدا ً الســتفتاء حــول إبقــاء بــاده يف االتحــاد‬ ‫بحلــول نهايــة العــام ‪ ،2017‬واحــد املواضيــع األكــر‬ ‫جــدالً يتعلــق بهجــرة املواطنــن األوروبيــن الذيــن‬ ‫تريــد لنــدن حرمانهــم مــن املســاعدات االجتاعيــة‬ ‫خــال الســنوات األربــع األوىل مــن إقامتهــم يف‬ ‫بريطانيــا‪ .‬وقــال توســك “إذا اقنــع رئيــس الــوزراء‬ ‫كامــرون القــادة بانــه ميكننــا العمــل معــا إليجــاد‬ ‫حلــول حــول امللفــات األربعــة عندهــا ســيكون‬ ‫أمامنــا فرصــة حقيقيــة للتوصــل إىل إتفــاق”‪.‬‬

‫ويف أطــول خطــاب لــه خــال خمــس ســنوات‬ ‫مــن حضــور مؤمت ـرات قمــة االتحــاد األورويب قــال‬ ‫كامــرون للزعــاء الســبعة والعرشيــن اآلخريــن‬ ‫الذيــن اجتمعــوا عــى مأدبــة عشــاء‪ ،‬يف بداية شــهر‬ ‫كانــون األول ‪ ،2015‬إنهــم إذا كانــوا يريــدون بقــاء‬ ‫بريطانيــا يف االتحــاد فعليهــم أن يزيلــوا مخــاوف‬ ‫ناخبيــه بالنســبة للهجــرة التــي يريدون الحــد منها‪.‬‬ ‫قــال رئيــس املجلــس األورويب دونالــد توســك الــذي‬ ‫رأس الجلســة إنــه أكــر تفــاؤالً بعــد املناقشــة‬ ‫بإمكانيــة التوصــل إىل اتفاق يف شــباط ‪ 2016‬بشــأن‬ ‫كل املطالــب الريطانيــة األربعــة الرئيســية ألن‬ ‫كامــرون يتطلــع إىل “حــل وســط عــادل”‪ ،‬وأضــاف‬ ‫أن مســاعي بريطانيــا لحرمــان مهاجــري االتحــاد‬ ‫األورويب مــن الحصــول عــى مزايــا العمــل‪ ،‬وهــي‬ ‫دخــل إضــايف ملــن يتقاضــون أجــورا منخفضــة‪ ،‬ملدة‬ ‫أربــع ســنوات ميثــل أكــر صعوبــة تواجــه االتفــاق‪.‬‬ ‫مــن جهتــه دعــا الرئيــس الفرنــي فرانســوا هوالنــد‬ ‫إىل احــرام مبــادئ االتحــاد األورويب املتعلقــة‬ ‫بحركــة التنقــل وطالــب الــدول غــر األعضــاء‬ ‫يف منطقــة اليــورو بــأال تحــول دون مزيــد مــن‬ ‫التكامــل بــن بلــدان املنطقــة‪ .‬وقــال هوالنــد عــن‬ ‫مطالــب كامــرون األربعــة “القضايــا األصعــب‬ ‫هــي تلــك املتعلقــة مبنطقــة اليــورو ومزايــا الرعايــة‬ ‫االجتاعيــة لعــال االتحــاد األورويب”‪ ،‬وأضــاف‬ ‫“قــد تكــون هنــاك تعديــات وتوافــق لكــن يجــب‬ ‫احــرام اللوائــح واملبــادئ األوروبيــة”‪ .‬وقــال‬ ‫الرئيــس الفرنــي “كان النقــاش رصيحـاً ومفتوحاً”‪.‬‬ ‫وشــهدت بروكســل مواجهــة بــن القــادة األوروبين‬ ‫وديفيــد كامــرون حــول مســألة خــروج بريطانيــا‬ ‫مــن االتحــاد األورويب‪ ،‬التــي تشــكل تحدي ـاً يهــدد‬ ‫وحــدة أوروبــا‪ ،‬حيــث قــال رئيــس الــوزراء الريطاين‬ ‫إنــه مســتعد للنضــال مــن أجــل اتفــاق جيــد يبقــي‬ ‫عــى بــاده داخــل االتحــاد‪.‬‬

‫‪ECONOMIC FOCUS CHAMBER NEWS‬‬

‫املســافة بــن الجــزر الريطانيــة وبقيــة القــارة‬ ‫األوروبيــة‪“ ،‬نحــن مــع أوروبــا‪ ،‬ولكننــا لســنا فيهــا‪،‬‬ ‫مهتمــون ومرتبطــون بهــا ولكننــا غــر ُمس ـتَوعبن‬ ‫فيهــا”‪.‬‬ ‫يحــار املــرء إذن يف موقــف ترششــل مــن املــرشوع‬ ‫األورويب‪ ،‬والــذي يســتخدمه أنصــار وأعــداء البقــاء‬ ‫يف االتحــاد داخــل بريطانيــا عــى الســواء هــذه‬ ‫األيــام‪ ،‬حيــث يحتــدم النقــاش بخصــوص سياســات‬ ‫توســعت عــى مــدار العقــد‬ ‫االتحــاد األورويب التــي ّ‬ ‫املــايض‪ ،‬وأصبحــت ت ُلــزم الــدول األعضــاء بالكثــر‬ ‫مــن القوانــن بــدءا ً مــن القطــاع املــايل والبنــوك‪،‬‬ ‫وحتــى الزراعــة والصيــد‪ ،‬وهــي قوانــن يضعهــا‬ ‫االتحــاد دون انتخابــات مبــارشة ملؤسســاته‪ ،‬فيــا‬ ‫ي ـراه البعــض تقويض ـاً لألســس الدميقراطيــة‪.‬‬ ‫يف هــذا الســياق‪ ،‬خــرج رئيــس الــوزراء الريطــاين‬ ‫ديفيــد كامــرون عــن صمتــه عــام ‪ 2013‬مبواجهــة‬ ‫أوروبــا يف ســابقة مل تحــدث رمبــا منــذ خمســن‬ ‫عامــاً‪ ،‬حــن قــال بأنــه يتفــاوض مــع بروكســل‬ ‫إلعــادة صياغــة االتفاقيــات التــي تربــط لنــدن‬ ‫باالتحــاد‪ ،‬وأنــه ســيطرح عضويــة بريطانيــا يف‬ ‫االتحــاد لاســتفتاء عــام ‪( 2017‬حــال اســتمر يف‬ ‫الســلطة بعــد انتخابــات ‪ ،)2015‬وهــو اســتفتاء‬ ‫يبــدو أنــه قــد يُخــرج بريطانيــا بالفعــل مــن أوروبــا‬ ‫عــى عكــس مــا أراد ترششــل‪ ،‬كــا يقــول أنصــار‬ ‫االتحــاد‪ ،‬أو يحقــق مــا كان ليفعلــه يف الواقــع لــو‬ ‫عــارص املستشــارة األملانيــة أنجيــا ِمــركِل‪ ،‬والتــي ال‬ ‫تقــل عاقتهــا بكامــرون ســوءا ً عــن عاقــة ترششــل‬ ‫بديجــول‪.‬‬ ‫عــى الناحيــة األخــرى‪ ،‬أنــه بظهــور حــزب اســتقال‬ ‫بريطانيــا ‪ UKIP‬وزعيمــه نايجــل فــاراج بقــوة‪،‬‬ ‫وتصــدره النتخابــات الرملــان األورويب‪ ،‬يبــدو أن‬ ‫املعادلــة الريطانيــة نفســها قــد تتغــر بعــد أن‬ ‫ظلــت لحــوايل قــرن مقتــرة عــى تبــادل الســلطة‬ ‫بــن املحافظــن والعــال‪ ،‬وهــو تغـ ّـر أقــل مــا يُقــال‬ ‫عنــه إنــه ســيزيد الهــوة بــن لنــدن وبروكســل‪،‬‬ ‫الســيا وأن الحــزب ال يخفــي هدفــه األســايس يف‬ ‫إخــراج بريطانيــا مــن االتحــاد وتخليصهــا مــن‬ ‫أفــواج املهاجريــن التــي تغمرهــا ســنوياً‪.‬‬ ‫الســؤال الــذي يطــرح نفســه اآلن‪ :‬مــاذا ســيحدث‬ ‫إذن إذا تــرك الريطانيــون االتحــاد األورويب؟‬ ‫يقــول املتشــامئون إنهــا ســتصبح مثــل كوريــا‬

‫الشــالية يف املنظومــة األســيوية‪ ،‬جزيــرة بعيــدة‬ ‫ومعزولــة وغــر قــادرة عــى لعــب دورهــا العاملــي‬ ‫املعتــاد‪ ،‬يف حــن يقــول املتفائلــون إنهــا ســتصبح‬ ‫مثــل هونــج كونــج‪ ،‬مركــز ثقــل قائــم بنفســه‪،‬‬ ‫كــا كانــت عــى مــدار قــرون قبــل ظهــور فكــرة‬ ‫االتحــاد‪.‬‬ ‫يف الحقيقــة‪ ،‬ســيكون خــروج بريطانيــا‪ ،‬املعروف يف‬ ‫وســائل اإلعام حالياً بـــ “برِكزيــت” (‪BritishEXIT‬‬ ‫‪ ،)— BREXIT‬مزيجـاً بــن هــذا وذاك‪.‬‬

‫انتقادات‪:‬‬

‫أن فكــرة بقــاء بريطانيــا أو خروجهــا مــن عضويــة‬ ‫االتحــاد األورويب‪ ،‬التــي أعلنــت عنهــا حكومــة‬ ‫رئيــس الــوزراء ديفيــد كامــرون مــن خــال منــح‬ ‫الريطانيــن حــق التصويــت عــى عضويــة البــاد‪.‬‬ ‫الت ـزال محــط اهتــام واســع‪ ،‬خصوص ـاً وأن هــذا‬ ‫األمــر وكــا يقــول بعــض املراقبــن‪ ،‬قــد أثــار قلــق‬ ‫العديــد مــن الــدول االعضــاء حــول مســتقبل‬ ‫االتحــاد‪ ،‬وأظهــرت انقســام الــرأي العــام يف بريطانيا‬ ‫حــول هــذه الفكــرة‪.‬‬

‫ويواجــه كامــرون انتقــادات داخليــة وخارجيــة‬ ‫لعــدم توضيحــه تفاصيــل التنــازالت التــي يســعى‬ ‫للحصــول عليهــا مــن الزعــاء األوروبيــن اآلخريــن‬ ‫مــع توقــع تســارع مباحثــات مفصلــة قبــل اجتــاع‬ ‫القمــة املرتقبــة‪ .‬ومــن ضمــن مطالــب بريطانيــا‬ ‫للبقــاء يف االتحــاد األورويب‪ ،‬حظــر مزايــا الرعايــة‬ ‫االجتاعيــة يف العمــل ملهاجــري االتحــاد األورويب‬ ‫ملــدة ‪ 4‬ســنوات وإعفــاء مــن أي تكامــل أوثــق‬ ‫لاتحــاد األورويب ومنــح ســلطات أكــر لحكومــات‬ ‫الــدول لوقــف قوانــن االتحــاد األورويب‪.‬‬ ‫ويتوقــع بعــض املحللــن أن الريطانيــن اآلن أمــام‬ ‫معضلــة كبــرة ومثــن ســيايس واقتصــادي كبــر‬ ‫يف حــال مغادرتهــم االتحــاد األورويب‪ .‬فالرشيــك‬ ‫األهــم اآلن يف أوروبــا هــو االتحــاد األورويب وليــس‬ ‫بريطانيــا‪ ،‬واألمريكيــون ســيحرصون عــى اســتمرار‬ ‫الرشاكــة مــع االتحــاد األورويب يف مواجهــة قضايــا‬ ‫سياســية كبــرة كقضيــة الــرشق األوســط‪ ،‬بينــا‬ ‫ســينعدم تقريبــا دور الريطانيــن فيهــا يف حــال‬ ‫خروجهــم مــن االتحــاد‪ .‬عــى ســبيل املثــال متثــل‬ ‫الرباعيــة الدوليــة التــي تتشــكل مــن الواليــات‬ ‫املتحــدة وروســيا واالتحــاد األورويب واألمــم املتحدة‬ ‫أهــم تجمــع ســيايس ملناقشــة قضايــا الــرشق‬

‫األوســط‪ ،‬خصوصــا الــراع العــريب ‪ -‬اإلرسائيــي‪،‬‬ ‫وخــروج بريطانيــا مــن دائــرة االتحــاد األورويب‬ ‫يعنــي تقريبــاً انعــدام تأثرهــا يف املنطقــة‪.‬‬ ‫الثمــن االقتصــادي أيضــاً ســيكون كبــرا ً حيــث‬ ‫ســيكون نتيجــة ذلــك خســارة كبــرة يف حريــة‬ ‫النفــاذ إىل األســواق األوروبيــة‪ ،‬عــى الرغــم مــن‬ ‫محاولــة الريطانيــن املعارضــن لاتحــاد األورويب‬ ‫التقليــل مــن ذلــك‪ .‬وإن بريطانيــا ســتجد نفســها‬ ‫مرغمــة عــى إعــادة التفــاوض حــول العديــد مــن‬ ‫االتفاقيــات الثنائيــة مــع الــدول األخــرى‪ ،‬كــا‬ ‫ســتضطر إىل مراجعــة الكثــر مــن الترشيعــات‬ ‫التــي أقرتهــا لتنفيــذ قـرارات عــى مســتوى االتحــاد‬ ‫األورويب‪ ،‬وهــو مــا سيشــكل عبئ ـاً اقتصادي ـاً كب ـرا ً‬ ‫يصعــب التكهــن بتكاليفــه‪ .‬ويعتقــد كثــرون أن‬ ‫مجــرد حالــة عــدم اليقــن التــي فرضهــا رئيــس‬ ‫الــوزراء الريطــاين ديفيــد كامــرون بطــرح فكــرة‬ ‫إعــادة التفــاوض أو االنســحاب ســترك آثــارا ً‬ ‫اقتصاديــة كبــرة يف االقتصــاد الريطــاين‪ ،‬ويف االتحاد‬ ‫األورويب ككل‪.‬‬ ‫يضــاف إىل ذلــك مشــكلة الهجــرة‪ ،‬حيــث تــرى‬ ‫بريطانيــا أن قوانــن االتحــاد األورويب هــي الســبب‬ ‫يف تدفــق املهاجريــن إليهــا‪ ،‬وهــو مــا أثــر ســلباً عى‬ ‫مســتوى املعيشــة والنســيج االجتاعــي‪ ،‬وطالبــت‬ ‫بريطانيــا بوضــع آليــة للتحكــم يف حركــة املهاجرين‬ ‫الوافديــن إىل اململكــة املتحــدة مــن بلــدان أوروبــا‬ ‫والســيطرة عــى الحــدود إال أن مطالبهــا مل تنفــذ‪.‬‬ ‫ويعــارض هــذا القــرار عــدة أحــزاب ومؤسســات‬ ‫بريطانيــة‪ ،‬أبرزهــا حــزب الدميقراطيــن األحــرار‬ ‫املعــارض‪ ،‬حيــث نقــل عــن زعيمــه نيــك كليــج‬ ‫القــول “االقتصــاد الريطــاين قــد يــؤذي نفســه‬ ‫إذا انفصلــت بريطانيــا عــن االتحــاد األورويب‪ ،‬وأن‬ ‫الخطــوة قــد تهــدد تعــايف االقتصــاد”‪.‬‬ ‫واتهــم كليــج بــأن الكثــر مــن أعضــاء حــزب‬ ‫املحافظــن وحــزب االســتقال الريطاين يســعون إىل‬ ‫فصــل إنجلـرا عــن أكــر ســوق يف العــامل‪ ،‬ويف ظــل‬ ‫إرصار بريطانيــا عــى انتـزاع ضانــات بعــدم تغـ ّول‬ ‫ســلطة االتحــاد األورويب يف الشــؤون الريطانيــة‪،‬‬ ‫يبقــى األوروبيــن غــر مســتعدين للتوصــل إىل‬ ‫تســوية حــول كل املطالــب الريطانيــة‪ ،‬خاصــة‬ ‫املعاهــدات األوروبيــة املتعلقــة بحريــة الحركــة‬ ‫التــي تعتــر واحــدة مــن أهــم ركائــز االتحــاد‪.‬‬

‫‪ARAB-BRITISH CHAMBER OF COMMERCE 103‬‬

‫بريطانيــا يف االتحــاد األورويب‪ .‬ففــي عــام ‪1973‬‬ ‫أصبحــت بريطانيــا وكــا تنقــل بعــض املصــادر‬ ‫عضــوا ً يف االتحــاد األورويب وأهــم دولــة بــن الــدول‬ ‫األعضــاء البالــغ عددهــم ‪ 28‬دولــة‪.‬‬

‫االتحــاد النقــدي‪ ،‬لكنهــا مل تكــن بهــذه األولويــة‬ ‫نفســها بالنســبة للــدول غــر األعضــاء يف االتحــاد‪،‬‬ ‫بــل إنهــا يف نظرهــم متثــل تقييــدا ً غــر مــرر‪ ،‬مــا‬ ‫دفــع برئيــس الــوزراء الريطــاين ديفيد كامــرون إىل‬ ‫االعـراض عليهــا‪ .‬النتيجــة أن االتفــاق كان محــدودا ً‬ ‫فقــط بــدول االتحــاد النقــدي الـــ ‪ ،17‬مــع إتاحــة‬ ‫الفرصــة للــدول األخــرى الراغبــة يف الدخــول فيــه‪.‬‬

‫وتاريخيــاً أيضــاً كان التســاؤل املطــروح والنقــاش‬ ‫الدائــر سياســياً بــن املحافظــن والعــال‪ ،‬وبــن‬ ‫الجميــع داخــل بريطانيــا هــو مــا إذا كان عــى‬ ‫بريطانيــا العظمــى أن تكــون داخــل االتحــاد‬ ‫األورويب أم خارجــه‪ .‬حتــى أصبــح املجتمــع‬ ‫الســيايس وداعمــوه منقســمن حــول هــذه القضيــة‬ ‫بالتحديــد‪.‬‬

‫يجــدر اإلشــارة إىل أن اململكــة املتحــدة كانــت دامئـاً‬ ‫عضــوا ً متفــردا ً يف النــادي األورويب‪ ،‬وهــي ليســت‬ ‫عضــوا بفضــاء شــنغن وال يف منطقــة اليــورو‪،‬‬ ‫مفضلــة الحفــاظ عــى عملتهــا الوطنيــة‪.‬‬

‫والبــد مــن اإلشــارة إىل ان االتحــاد النقــدي الــذي‬ ‫رفضــت بريطانيــا الدخــول فيــه‪ ،‬أصبــح بعــد‬ ‫األزمــة األخــرة محــور إتخــاذ القــرار يف االتحــاد‬ ‫األورويب‪ ،‬وأصبحــت جميــع القــرارات تتطلــب‬ ‫تفاوضــاً مــن قبــل أعضائــه يف البدايــة‪ ،‬ثــم يتــم‬ ‫عرضهــا بعــد اتفــاق األعضــاء يف منطقــة اليــورو‬ ‫عــى دول االتحــاد األورويب مجتمعــة‪ .‬وهــذا أصبــح‬ ‫يشــكل حساســية كبــرة لــدى الــدول غــر األعضــاء‬ ‫يف منطقــة اليــورو‪ ،‬وعــى رأســهم بريطانيــا‪ ،‬وقــد‬ ‫بــرز ذلــك بشــكل واضــح خــال مناقشــة اتفاقيــة‬ ‫االتحــاد املــايل التــي كانــت رضورة بالنســبة لــدول‬

‫ويعتقــد الكثــر مــن املحللــن أن مشــكلة‬ ‫الريطانيــن مــع االتحــاد األورويب أنهــم يريــدون أن‬ ‫يضعــوا قدمـاً يف الداخــل وأخــرى يف الخــارج‪ ،‬بينــا‬ ‫الــدول األخــرى يف أوروبــا‪ ،‬خصوصـاً فرنســا وأملانيــا‬ ‫يــرون أن االتحــاد األورويب رضورة حتميــة ملــا بعــد‬ ‫الحــرب العامليــة الثانيــة التــي كانــت نتائجهــا‬ ‫مدمــرة بالنســبة ألوروبــا‪ .‬الواليــات املتحــدة هــي‬ ‫األخــرى أيضــا تــرى أهميــة ومحوريــة االتحــاد‬ ‫األورويب ملرحلــة مــا بعــد الحــرب العامليــة الثانيــة‪،‬‬ ‫ولذلــك وجهــت رســالة قويــة لحليفهــا الهــام يف‬ ‫أوروبــا للبقــاء يف االتحــاد األورويب‪ .‬مبعنــى آخــر‪،‬‬

‫ ‬

‫الواليــات املتحــدة تــرى أن دور بريطانيــا داخــل‬ ‫االتحــاد األورويب أهــم بالنســبة لهــا مــن دورهــا‬ ‫خارجــه‪ ،‬وهــو بالتــايل مــا يع ّقــد األمــور بالنســبة‬ ‫للريطانيــن أنفســهم‪.‬‬ ‫ويقــرأ تاريخيـاً أنــه أثنــاء معــارك الحــرب العامليــة‬ ‫الثانيــة‪ ،‬قــال رئيــس الــوزراء الريطــاين الســابق‬ ‫وينســتون ترششــل ذات مــرة للرئيــس الفرنــي‬ ‫الســابق تشــارل ديجــول‪“ :‬يف كل مــرة يجــب علينــا‬ ‫االختيــار بــن أوروبــا والبحــار املفتوحــة‪ ،‬فإننــا‬ ‫ســنختار دومــاً البحــار املفتوحــة”‪ .‬وهــي ُجملــة‬ ‫لطاملــا اســتغلها أعــداء االتحــاد األورويب يف بريطانيــا‬ ‫للرويــج لخــروج بادهــم مــن املــرشوع األورويب‪،‬‬ ‫حيــث كانــت كلــات ترششــل خاصــة بأولويــات‬ ‫الحــرب عــى األرض آنــذاك‪ ،‬والتــي اختلــف‬ ‫فيهــا الزعيــان املعروفــان ليــس إال‪ ،‬نظ ـرا ً لتوتــر‬ ‫عاقتهــا‪.‬‬ ‫يف الحقيقــة‪ ،‬كان ترششــل واحــدا ً مــن أبــرز‬ ‫املتحمســن ملــرشوع االتحــاد األورويب‪ ،‬بــل ودعــا‬ ‫إىل واليــات متحــدة أوروبيــة “دون أيــة حواجــز‬ ‫بــن ســكانها‪ ،‬وبــدون أي قيــود عــى الســفر بــن‬ ‫ربوعهــا”‪ ،‬كــا قــال ذات مــرة‪ ،‬ولكنــه يف مــرة ثالثــة‬ ‫كان حريصـاً يف خطــاب لــه بالرملــان عــى توضيــح‬

‫‪ECONOMIC FOCUS CHAMBER NEWS‬‬

‫بريطانيا والتحاد الوروبي‬ ‫‪Britain and the European Union‬‬ ‫تضــع بريطانيــا أوروبــا أمــام مفــرق طــرق صعــب‬ ‫جــدا ً‪ ،‬حيــث أعلــن رئيــس الــوزراء الريطــاين يف عام‬ ‫‪ ،2015‬يف خطــاب موجه لألوروبيــن رغبته يف إعادة‬ ‫التفــاوض عــى رشوط ووضــع بريطانيــا يف االتحــاد‬ ‫األورويب‪ ،‬وطــرح نتائــج هــذا التفــاوض يف اســتفتاء‬ ‫عــام‪ ،‬يف عــام ‪ .2017‬يعتقــد الكثــرون أن هــذا‬ ‫األمــر يــأيت يف وقــت غــر مناســب عــى اإلطــاق‪،‬‬ ‫حيــث بــدأت مامــح اســتقرار يف منطقــة اليــورو‪،‬‬ ‫مــا يعنــي أن آخــر مــا يحتــاج إليــه األوروبيــون اآلن‬ ‫هــو أن يــأيت مــا يكــدر هــذا االســتقرار مــن داخــل‬ ‫االتحــاد األورويب‪.‬‬ ‫وقــال رئيــس الــوزراء الريطــاين ديفيــد كامــرون يف‬ ‫شــهر ترشيــن الثــاين ‪ 2015‬إنــه جاد بشــأن الحصول‬ ‫عــى إصاحــات من االتحــاد األورويب‪ ،‬مؤكــدا أنه إذا‬ ‫فشــل يف الحصــول عليهــا‪ ،‬فــإن ســؤاالً يثــار بشــأن‬ ‫مــدى صاحيــة هــذا التكتــل لريطانيــا‪ .‬ويطالــب‬ ‫كامــرون بإعــادة التفــاوض حــول رشوط بــاده‬ ‫بشــأن عضويتهــا يف االتحــاد األورويب‪ ،‬وحــدد تلــك‬ ‫الــرشوط يف رســالة بعــث بهــا إىل رئيــس املجلــس‬ ‫األورويب دونالــد توســك‪.‬‬ ‫وأضــاف أنــه لــن “يتظاهــر ثانيــة بــأن بريطانيــا ال‬ ‫ميكنهــا النجــاة خــارج االتحــاد”‪ ،‬مشــددا ً عــى أن‬ ‫الهــدف الرئيــي هــو ضــان تنظيــم “أكــر مرونة”‪.‬‬ ‫واعتــر أن “الوضــع الراهــن ليــس جيــدا ً مبــا فيــه‬ ‫الكفايــة لريطانيــا” وأن “التخلــص مــن اتحــاد‬ ‫أوثــق” و “الحــد مــن ضغــوط الهجــرة” تغي ـرات‬ ‫كبــرة ومهمــة ال بــد مــن تحقيقهــا”‪ .‬ووفقـاً لرئيس‬ ‫الــوزراء الريطــاين فإنــه “إذا مل نســتطع التوصــل‬ ‫ملثــل هــذا االتفــاق‪ ،‬وإذا مل تلــق مخــاوف بريطانيــا‬ ‫آذانــاً صاغيــة‪ ،‬وهــو مــاال أعتقــد أنــه ســيحدث‪،‬‬ ‫فإنــه ســيتعن علينــا حينئــذ التفكــر مــن جديــد‬ ‫فيــا إذا كان هــذا االتحــاد األورويب صوابــا بالنســبة‬ ‫لنــا”‪.‬‬

‫و قبيــل أن يحقــق ديفيــد كامــرون الفــوز تأخــر‬ ‫ومجيئــه كرئيــس وزراء بانتخابــات ‪ ،2015‬وهــو‬ ‫يعــد بالتفــاوض عــى رشوط عضويــة بريطانيــا يف‬ ‫االتحــاد أو الخــروج منــه‪ .‬وحــدد عــام ‪ 2017‬إلجـراء‬ ‫اســتفتاء حــول هــذا الخــروج مــن عدمــه‪ ،‬حيــث‬ ‫يــرى الخــراء أن تحــركات كامــرون هــي ورقــة‬ ‫ضغــط مهمــة يف ســبيل إعــادة التفــاوض حــول‬ ‫رشوطــه وبتــايل الحصــول عــى امتيــازات جديــدة‬ ‫متكنــه مــن اســتعادة بعــض الســلطات التــي تخلت‬ ‫عنهــا بريطانيــا لاتحــاد األورويب‪ ،‬خصوصــاً وان‬ ‫رئيــس الــوزراء الريطــاين يــرى ان االتحــاد أصبــح‬ ‫أكــر تدخ ـاً وتقييــدا ً لحيــاة األوروبيــن مــا كان‬ ‫متوقع ـاً‪.‬‬ ‫لكــن مــاذا يريــد كامــرون بالتحديــد مــن هــذا‬ ‫االســتفتاء؟ وملــاذا يف هــذا الوقــت بالتحديــد؟ يف‬ ‫حــن يــرى ديفيــد كامــرون وحزبــه أهميــة االتحاد‬ ‫األورويب بالنســبة للريطانيــن‪،‬‬ ‫ويــرى كامــرون أن هــذه األهميــة ترتكــز عــى‬ ‫مــا يضيفــه هــذا االتحــاد لألوروبيــن مــن قيمــة‬ ‫تتمثــل يف رفع مســتوى معيشــتهم ورخائهــم‪ .‬ويرى‬ ‫كامــرون أن االتحــاد أصبــح أكــر تدخ ـاً وتقييــدا ً‬ ‫لحيــاة األوروبيــن مــا كان متوقعـاً‪ ،‬أو مبعنــى آخر‬ ‫أصبــح عبئ ـاً كب ـرا ً عليهــم‪ ،‬مــا يســتوجب إعــادة‬ ‫التفــاوض حــول رشوطــه‪ .‬كامــرون بالتحديــد يريــد‬ ‫اســتعادة بعــض الســلطات التــي تخلــت عنهــا‬ ‫بريطانيــا لاتحــاد األورويب‪ ،‬مبــا يف ذلــك تحديــد‬ ‫ســاعات العمــل‪ ،‬واالتفاقيــات املتعلقــة بالجوانــب‬ ‫األمنيــة وتبــادل املجرمــن‪ ،‬وأخـرا ً وهــو األهــم هــو‬ ‫خــوف بريطانيــا مــن ســيطرة دول منطقــة اليــورو‬ ‫الـــ ‪ 17‬عــى مجريــات اتخــاذ القــرار يف االتحــاد‬ ‫األورويب‪.‬‬

‫قانون االستفتاء حول بقاء‬ ‫بريطانيا باالتحاد األورويب‬

‫أعلنــت الحكومــة الريطانيــة‪ ،‬يف منتصــف شــهر‬ ‫آيــار ‪ ،2015‬عــن مــرشوع قانــون حــول تنظيــم‬ ‫اســتفتاء قبــل نهاية ‪ 2017‬يف شــأن بقــاء بريطانيا يف‬ ‫االتحــاد األورويب‪ .‬وجــاء اإلعــان عــى لســان امللكــة‬ ‫إليزابيــث الثانيــة‪ ،‬أمــام برملــان وستمنســر‪ ،‬يف‬ ‫الخطــاب التقليــدي للملكــة‪ ،‬وطــرح النــص رســمياً‬ ‫يف مجلــس العمــوم للنقــاش‪.‬‬ ‫وقالــت امللكــة‪ ،‬أمــام النــواب وأعضــاء الحكومــة‪:‬‬ ‫“ســنطرح قانونـاً مــن أجــل تنظيــم اســتفتاء حــول‬ ‫بقــاء بريطانيــا أم ال يف االتحــاد األورويب قبــل نهايــة‬ ‫عــام ‪ .”2017‬وطرحــت تفاصيــل مــرشوع القانــون‬ ‫بصــورة رســمية عــى مجلــس النــواب (مجلــس‬ ‫العمــوم الريطــاين)‪ .‬وســيحصل هــذا االســتفتاء‬ ‫بعــد مرحلــة إعــادة التفــاوض عــى رشوط بقــاء‬ ‫بريطانيــا يف االتحــاد األورويب‪ .‬وأضافــت امللكــة‪ ،‬أن‬ ‫“الحكومــة ســتعيد التفــاوض حــول عاقــة بريطانيا‬ ‫مــع االتحــاد‪ ،‬وســتواصل إصاحــه”‪.‬‬

‫ارتباط بريطانيا باالتحاد‬ ‫األورويب‪ :‬نبذة تاريخية‬

‫تاريخي ـاً‪ ،‬مل تكــن بريطانيــا داعمــة لقيــام االتحــاد‬ ‫األورويب الــذي بــدأ باتفاقيــة رومــا التــي تأسســت‬ ‫مبوجبهــا الجاعــة االقتصاديــة األوروبيــة يف عــام‬ ‫‪ ،1957‬لكنهــا حاولــت االنضــام يف عامــي‪1963‬‬ ‫و‪ ،1967‬لكــن الفرنســين بقيــادة شــارل ديجــول‬ ‫كانــوا ضــد انضــام بريطانيــا لاتحــاد‪ .‬وتحقــق‬ ‫لريطانيــا االنضــام يف وقــت متأخــر يف عــام ‪،1973‬‬ ‫لكــن بعــد عامــن فقــط مــن ذلــك‪ ،‬تـ ّم طــرح فكرة‬ ‫االنضــام عــى اســتفتاء عــام انتهــى باســتمرار‬

‫‪ARAB-BRITISH CHAMBER OF COMMERCE 105‬‬

‫رشكة ﻲﻛ‪ .‬أس لالستشارات الدولية واملحاسبة‬ ‫العامة (‪KS International Consultants‬‬ ‫‪)& Public Accountants‬‬

‫رشكــة ‪ KS‬لاستشــارات الدوليــة واملحاســبة العامــة‬ ‫هــي رشكــة للمحاســبن ولهــا مكاتــب يف البحريــن‬ ‫ولنــدن وتتواجــد يف مــا مجموعــه ‪ 180‬موقعــاً يف‬ ‫مختلــف أنحــاء العــامل‪ .‬وتنشــط رشكــة ﻲﻛ‪ .‬أس مــن‬ ‫خــال مكاتبهــا خاصــة يف البحريــن ولنــدن مــع‬ ‫مجموعــة مــن العمــاء يف جميــع أنحــاء الخليــج‪،‬‬ ‫وتقــدم خدمــات مثــل مراجعــة الحســابات‪،‬‬ ‫واالستشــارات‪ ،‬وإدارة املخاطــر‪ ،‬والتمويل اإلســامي‬ ‫والخدمــات االستشــارية األخــرى‪.‬‬

‫رشكة أيليت الدولية (‪Elite International‬‬ ‫‪)Assets‬‬

‫رشكــة رشكــة أيليــت الدوليــة للخدمــات املاليــة‬ ‫متخصصــة يف االســتثار يف قطاعــي العقــارات‬ ‫والتعليــم‪ .‬وتشــمل خدمــات رشكــة أيليــت الدوليــة‬ ‫أيضــاً التدريــب وخاصــة يف مجــال التمويــل‬ ‫اإلســامي‪ .‬وتســعى الرشكــة لتكــون مبثابــة جــرس‬ ‫يربــط بــن العمــاء يف أوروبــا ودول مجلــس‬

‫التعــاون الخليجــي‪ .‬وتهــدف رشكــة أيليــت الدوليــة‬ ‫أن تكــون مبثابــة املستشــار املــايل املوثــوق بــه‬ ‫مــن قبــل العمــاء يف منطقــة الخليــج‪ ،‬وتديــر‬ ‫الرشكــة مكتب ـاً يف قطــر وآخــر يف اململكــة العربيــة‬ ‫الســعودية‪.‬‬

‫رشكة لونﻚ روك كابيتال املحدودة (‪Long‬‬ ‫‪)Rock Capital Limited‬‬

‫رشكــة لونــك روك كابيتــال املحــدودة متخصصــة‬ ‫مبجــال االســتثار والخدمــات املاليــة‪ ،‬وتعمــل‬ ‫عــى الجمــع بــن فــرص املشــاريع واملســتثمرين‬ ‫املحتملــن‪ .‬وتركــز رشكــة لونــك روك كابيتــال‬ ‫املحــدودة عــى إدارة املخاطــر‪ ،‬والخدمــات التقنية‪،‬‬ ‫والبحــوث والتدريــب املخصصــة‪.‬‬

‫رشكة جانيت رادي للفنون التشكيلية (‪Janet‬‬ ‫‪)Rady Fine Art‬‬

‫رشكــة جانيــت رادي للفنــون التشــكيلية عملــت‬ ‫ســابقا لــدار ســوثبي للم ـزادات‪ ،‬وجلبــت خرتهــا‬ ‫يف ســوق الفنــون الجميلــة ملنطقــة الــرشق‬ ‫األوســط‪ .‬ورشكــة جانيــت رادي للفنــون التشــكيلية‬

‫ ‬

‫متخصصــة يف الفــن املعــارص مــن منطقــة الــرشق‬ ‫األوســط والفــن اإلســامي‪ .‬وتقــوم رشكــة جانيــت‬ ‫رادي للفنــون التشــكيلية بتأمــن املعــارض الفنيــة‬ ‫وإدارتهــا‪ ،‬وكذلــك تنظيــم العــروض الفنيــة عــى‬ ‫شــبكة اإلنرنــت كعــروض خــاص للبيــع‪ .‬وتضــم‬ ‫قامئــة عمــاء رشكــة جانيــت رادي للفنــون‬ ‫التشــكيلية عمــاء وزبائــن مــن القطــاع الخــاص‬ ‫ومــن الــرشكات‪ ،‬وهــي تعمــل أيضــاً كمستشــار‬ ‫ومــ ّورد لألعــال الفنيــة‪.‬‬ ‫اختتمــت املناســبة بدعــوة كل الضيــوف إىل حفــل‬ ‫تعــارف وتنــاول املرطبــات حيــث تكــون فرصــة‬ ‫التعــارف متاحــة وحيــث تتــم اللقــاءات بــن ممثي‬ ‫الــرشكات والــرشكاء املحتملــن يف جــو ودي غــر‬ ‫رســمي‪.‬‬

‫‪ECONOMIC FOCUS CHAMBER NEWS‬‬

‫عبد السالم االدريىس‪ ،‬مدير قسم الخدمات التجارية ىڡ الغرفة يتوسط نخبة من ‬ ‫االعضاء‬ ‫ ‬ ‫ ‬ ‫ ‬

‫الــرشكات األعضــاء التــي اســعرضت نشــاطها يف‬ ‫الحفــل‪:‬‬

‫رشكة أس‪ .‬جي‪ .‬أس ‪ SGS‬املحدودة (‪SGS‬‬ ‫‪)United Kingdom Limited‬‬

‫ركــز عــرض رشكــة ‪ SGS‬املحــدودة عــى الخدمــات‬ ‫الجديــدة التــي تقدمهــا الرشكــة لعمائهــا الســيا‬ ‫قامئــة مــن الخدمــات الفنيــة وفــق أحــدث‬ ‫التقنيــات تقدمهــا الرشكــة مبثابــة ضانــات ملقتنين‬ ‫اللوحــات واألعــال الفنيــة األخــرى الســيا حايتها‬ ‫مــن التلــف والتزويــر‪ ،‬وتســعى الرشكــة مــن خــال‬ ‫هــذه الخدمــات لتحقيــق الثقــة والشــفافية يف‬ ‫ســوق الفــن العاملــي ووقايــة عمائهــا مــن الغــش‬ ‫والتزييــف‪.‬‬

‫رشكة نايلور دريناج املحدودة (‪Naylor‬‬ ‫‪)Drainage Limited‬‬

‫نايلــور هــي باألســاس رشكــة بارنســي لتصنيــع‬ ‫مجموعــة مــن األنابيــب الســتخدامها يف الصناعــة‬ ‫والبنــاء والتشــييد‪ .‬ورشكــة نايلــور تنــدرج يف الئحــة‬ ‫الــرشكات التجاريــة العائليــة‪ ،‬وتعتمــد يف صناعاتهــا‬ ‫عــى اســتخدام الطــن الــذي هــو املــادة التقليديــة‬ ‫دامئــة الحيــاة‪ .‬وتقــوم رشكــة نايلــور بالتصديــر‬ ‫إىل ‪ 65‬دولــة‪ ،‬وعامتهــا التجاريــة معروفــة جيــدا ً‬ ‫يف أســواق الــرشق األوســط مبــا يف ذلــك قطــر‬ ‫واإلمــارات العربيــة املتحــدة واململكــة العربيــة‬ ‫الســعودية‪.‬‬

‫مجموعة يب‪ .‬يب‪ .‬أس ‪)BBS )BBS Group‬‬

‫هــي رشكــة استشــارات ولهــا مكتــب رئيــي‬ ‫يف مدينــة لنــدن‪ ،‬تقــدم مجموعــة واســعة‬ ‫مــن الخــرات والخدمــات مبــا يف ذلــك تقديــم‬ ‫املشــورة بشــأن العمليــات العطــاءات التجاريــة‬ ‫واالســتثارية‪ ،‬وتقديــم برامــج التدريــب والحصــول‬ ‫عــى منتجــات العامــات التجاريــة‪ .‬وتعتمــد‬ ‫الرشكــة أيض ـاً التســويق عــر اإلنرنــت‪ ،‬وهــو مــا‬ ‫تتفــوق بــه الرشكــة مــن ناحيــة الخــرات‪.‬‬

‫رشكة رايدر ليفيت بوكنيل (‪Rider Levett‬‬ ‫‪)Bucknell RLB‬‬

‫رايــدر ليفيــت بوكنيــل هــي رشكــة استشــارات‬ ‫عقاريــة ولهــا مكاتــب يف جميــع أنحــاء الــرشق‬ ‫األوســط ويف أنحــاء أخــرى مــن العــامل‪ .‬وتعمــل‬ ‫الرشكــة بشــكل وثيــق مــع املهندســن املعاريــن‬ ‫واملطوريــن وتركــز الرشكــة بشــكل كبــر عــى‬ ‫األســواق العربيــة‪ ،‬وخاصــة دول الخليــج‪ .‬وتوفــر‬ ‫رشكــة رايــدر ليفيــت بوكنيــل خدمــات إدارة‬ ‫املشــاريع‪ ،‬وتحليــل املخاطــر واالستشــارات‬ ‫وخدمــات االســتدامة للعمــاء‪ .‬يف اآلونــة األخــرة‪،‬‬ ‫عملــت رشكــة ‪ RLP‬عــى مشــاريع خاصــة‬ ‫يف ســلطنة عــان‪ ،‬وقطــر‪ ،‬واململكــة العربيــة‬ ‫الســعودية واإلمــارات العربيــة املتحــدة‪ .‬وتخطــط‬ ‫الرشكــة ملزيــد مــن التوســع يف منطقــة الــرشق‬ ‫األوســط‪.‬‬

‫رشكة رابيدروب كلوبال املحدودة‬ ‫(‪)Rapidrop Global Limited‬‬

‫وهــي رشكــة ذات خ ـرات واســعة يف مجــال هــو‬ ‫تصميــم وصناعــة رشاشــات الحايــة مــن الحرائــق‪،‬‬ ‫وحتــى اآلن قــد تــ ّم إنتــاج أكــر مــن مليــوين‬ ‫وحــدة كل عــام‪ .‬وللرشكــة تواجــد كبــر وقــوي‬ ‫يف منطقــة الــرشق األوســط‪ .‬وحــوايل أكــر مــن‬ ‫‪ 80%‬مــن منتجــات الرشكــة يتــم إنتاجهــا لغــرض‬ ‫التصديــر إىل األســواق يف دولــة اإلمــارات العربيــة‬ ‫املتحــدة واململكــة العربيــة الســعودية والجزائــر‪.‬‬ ‫وتعمــل الرشكــة عــى إنشــاء موقــع يخــص بالبحث‬ ‫والتطويــر (‪ )R & D‬ويعنــي باالختبــار يف موقــع‬ ‫الرشكــة يف منطقــة بيربــورو (‪.)Peterborough‬‬

‫رشكة هدى الشني للتصميم الداخﲇ املحدودة‬ ‫(‪Hoda Lasheen Interior Design‬‬ ‫‪)Limited‬‬

‫تأسســت رشكــة هــدى الشــن للتصميــم الداخــي‬ ‫املحــدودة يف عــام ‪ 2006‬وأنشــأت فرعهــا يف اململكة‬ ‫املتحــدة يف عــام ‪ .2015‬وتنتــج رشكــة هــدى الشــن‬ ‫للتصميــم الداخــي املحــدودة تصاميــم فريــدة مــن‬ ‫نوعهــا مبــا يف ذلــك قطــع األثــاث الفاخــرة التــي‬ ‫يتــم تصميمهــا لتلبــي رغبــات واحتياجــات العمــاء‬ ‫والزبائــن‪ .‬والرشكــة متخصصــة يف إنتــاج باقــة‬ ‫أعــال وتصاميــم مناســبة ملجموعــة كبــرة مــن‬ ‫العمــاء ســواء األفــراد أو يف القطاعــات التجاريــة‬ ‫والســكنية والتعليميــة‪.‬‬

โ ซ โ ฌ

โ ซโ ชARAB-BRITISH CHAMBER OF COMMERCE 107โ ฌโ ฌ

โ ซู ู ุชุนุงุฑู ู ุงู ุชู ุงุตู โ ช :โ ฌุบุฑู ุฉ ุงู ุชุฌุงุฑุฉโ ฌ โ ซุงู ุนุฑุจู ุฉ ุงู ุจุฑู ุทุงู ู ุฉ ุชู ู ู ุญู ู ู โ ฌ โ ซู ุฌู ุน ุฃุนุถุงุฆู ุง ุงู ุฌุฏุฏ ู ุงู ู ุฏุงู ู โ ฌ โ ซโ ชMembersโ Networking Eventโ ฌโ ฌ โ ซู ุฃู ู ู ุฏ ุงู ุณู ู ู ุฏ ู ุฌู ุฑู ุฌู ู ู ู ู ู ู ู ุชู ู ู ุนู ู ู ุญู ู ุฑุตโ ฌ โ ซุงู ุบุฑู ู ู ุฉ ู ู ู ู ุงุก ุฃุนุถุงุฆู ู ู ุง ุจุดู ู ู ู ู ุชู ุงุตู ู ู โ ช ุ โ ฌู ู ู ู ุงู โ ฌ โ ซุฃู ุบุฑู ู ู ุฉ ุงู ุชุฌู ู ุงุฑุฉ ุงู ุนุฑุจู ู ู ุฉ ุงู ุฑู ุทุงู ู ู ู ุฉ (โ ช)ABCCโ ฌโ ฌ โ ซุชุฎุทู ู ุท ู ุฑู ุงู ู ู ุฌ ุญุงู ู ู ู ู ู ู ู ุงุฃู ู ุดู ู ุทุฉ ู ุนู ู ุงู โ ชุ 2016โ ฌโ ฌ โ ซู ุฃู ู ู ุฏ ุฃู ุงู ุบุฑู ู ู ุฉ ุญุฑู ุตู ู ุฉ ุนู ู ู ุงู ุนู ู ู ู ุจุดู ู ู ู โ ฌ โ ซู ุซู ู ู ู ู ู ู ุน ุฃุนุถุงุฆู ู ู ุงโ ช .โ ฌู ุฃุนู ู ู ู ุงู ุณู ู ู ุฏ ู ุฌู ุฑู ุฌู ู ู ุฃู โ ฌ โ ซุงู ู ู ู ู ู ุน ุงุฅู ู ู ู ู ุฑู ู ู ู ู ุบุฑู ู ู ุฉ ุงู ุฌุฏู ู ู ุฏ ุณู ู ู ุทู ู ู ุฑู ุจู ุงู โ ช.โ ฌโ ฌ

โ ซุงู ุฏู ุชู ุฑุฉ ู ู ู ุงุก ุงุงู ู ุงุฑุฉโ ช ุ โ ฌู ุณุคู ู ุฉ ุงู ุนุถู ู ุฉ ู ฺก ุงู ุบุฑู ุฉ ุชุชู ุณุท ู ุฎุจุฉ ู ู โ ฌ โ ซุงุงู ุนุถุงุกโ ฌ โ ซย โ ฌ โ ซ โ ฌ

โ ซุฃู ุงู ู ู ุฉ ุบุฑู ู ู ุฉ ุงู ุชุฌู ู ุงุฑุฉ ุงู ุนุฑุจู ู ู ุฉ ุงู ุฑู ุทุงู ู ู ู ุฉ ู ู ู ู ุงุกุง ู โ ฌ โ ซู ู ุณู ู ุนุงู ู ุญู ู ู ู ู ู ุชุนู ู ุงุฑู ู ุงู ุชู ุงุตู ู ู ุจู ู ู ุฃุนุถุงุฆู ู ู ุงโ ฌ โ ซุงู ุฌู ู ุฏุฏ ู ุงู ู ุฏุงู ู ู ู โ ช ุ โ ฌู ู ู ู ู ุงุฃู ู ู ู ุนู ู ุงู โ ช ุ 2016โ ฌู ุฃู ู ู ู ู โ ฌ โ ซุงู ู ู ุงุณู ู ุจุฉ ู ู ู ุจู ู ู ู ุงู ุบุฑู ู ู ุฉ ุจุนู ู ุฏ ุงู ุธู ู ู ุฑ ู ู ุงู ู ู ู ู ู โ ฌ โ ซุงู ู ุตู ู ุงุฏู ุงู ู ู ู โ ช 28โ ฌู ู ู ู ุดู ู ู ุฑ ู ู ุงู ู ู ุฑ (ู ุงู ู ู ู ู ุงู ุซู ู ุงู ู )โ ช.โ ฌโ ฌ โ ซุฃู ุชุชู ู ุญ ุงู ู ู ู ู ุงุก ุงู ุณู ู ู ุฏ ู ู ู ุงุฑู ู ุฌู ุฑู ุฌู ู ู โ ช ุ โ ฌุงู ู ุฑุงู ู ู ุจโ ฌ โ ซุงู ู ู ู ุงู ู ู ุงู ู ุณู ู ุคู ู ุนู ู ู ุงู ุนุถู ู ู ู ุฉ ู ู ุงู ุบุฑู ู ู ุฉโ ชุ โ ฌโ ฌ โ ซุจุงู ุฑุญู ู ู ุจ ุจุงู ุญุถู ู ู ุฑ ู ู ุงุจู ู ุฉ ุนู ู ู ุงุฃู ู ู ู ู ุงู ุนู ู ุงู โ ฌ โ ซู ุงู ุฑุฆู ู ู ุณ ุงู ุชู ู ู ู ู ุฐู ู ู ุบุฑู ู ู ุฉโ ช ุ โ ฌุงู ุฏู ุชู ู ู ุฑุฉ ุฃู ู ู ู ุงู โ ฌ โ ซุงู ุดู ู ู ุนู ุจู โ ช ุ โ ฌู ุฑุฆู ู ู ุณ ู ุฌู ู ู ุณ ุฅุฏุงุฑุฉ ุงู ุบุฑู ู ู ุฉ ุงู ุฑุงู ู ู ุชโ ฌ โ ซู ู ู ู ู ุงู ุจุงุฑู ู ู ู ุฉ ุณู ู ู ู ู ู ุฒโ ช .โ ฌู ู ู ู ุฏู ุงู ุณู ู ู ุฏ ู ุฌู ุฑู ุฌู ู ู โ ฌ

โ ซู ู ุฌู ู ู ุน ุฃุนุถู ู ุงุก ู ุฑู ู ู ู ุนู ู ู ู ู ุงู ุณู ู ู ุง ุงู ุฏู ุชู ู ู ุฑุฉโ ฌ โ ซู ู ู ู ู ุงุก ุงุฅู ู ู ู ุงุฑุฉโ ช ุ โ ฌู ุนู ู ุฑุถ ู ุจู ู ุฐุฉ ู ุฎุชู ู ุฑุฉ ู ู ุชุนุฑู ู ู ู โ ฌ โ ซุจุงู ู ู ุงุณู ู ุจุฉ ู ุจุงุฃู ุนุถู ู ุงุก ุงู ู ุฐู ู ู ู ู ุดู ู ุงุฑู ู ู ุจุนู ู ุฑู ุถโ ฌ โ ซุฎุงุตู ู ุฉ ุนู ู ู ุฃุนุงู ู ู ู ู ู ุฑุดู ุงุชู ู ู ู ู ู ู ู ู ุฐุง ุงู ุญู ู ุฏุซโ ชุ โ ฌโ ฌ โ ซุญู ู ู ุซ ุดู ู ุงุฑู ู ู ู ู ู ู ู ู ู ู ู ู ู ุฏุฉ ุฎู ุณู ู ุฉ ุฏู ุงุฆู ู ู โ ฌ โ ซุจุฅุนุทู ู ุงุก ู ุจู ู ุฐุฉ ุนู ู ู ุฃุนุงู ู ู ู ู ู ู ุดู ู ุงุทุงุชู ู โ ช ุ โ ฌู ุงู ุชู ู ู โ ฌ โ ซุชู ู ุนู ู ุช ู ู ู ุง ุจู ู ู ุงู ุตู ุงุนู ู ุงุช ู ุงู ุฎุฏู ู ู ุงุช ู ู ุฌู ู ุงุงู ุชโ ฌ โ ซุงู ุณู ู ู ุงุญุฉ ู ุงู ุชุนู ู ู ู ู ู ุงู ู ู ู ู ู ุบุฑู ู ู ุงโ ช.โ ฌโ ฌ โ ซู ู ู ู ุฏ ุงู ุชู ุฆู ู ุช ุงู ู ุงุนู ู ุฉ ุจุงู ุญุถู ู ู ุฑ ู ู ู ู ู ู ุซู ู ู โ ฌ โ ซุงู ู ู ุฑุดู ุงุช ุนู ู ู ุงุฎุชู ู ุงู ู ุฌู ู ุงุงู ุช ุฃุนุงู ู ู ู ู โ ฌ โ ซู ู ุดู ู ุงุทุงุชู ู โ ช.โ ฌโ ฌ

โ ซู ู ู ู ุง ุจุนู ู ุฏ ุฐู ู ู ู โ ช ุ โ ฌุฃู ู ู ู ู ุงู ุณู ู ู ุฏ ุนุจู ู ุฏ ุงู ุณู ู ุงู โ ฌ โ ซุงุฅู ุฏุฑู ู ู ู โ ช ุ โ ฌู ุฏู ู ู ุฑ ู ุณู ู ู ุงู ุฎุฏู ู ู ุงุช ุงู ุชุฌุงุฑู ู ู ุฉ ู ู โ ฌ โ ซุงู ุบุฑู ู ู ุฉ ุนู ู ุฑุถ ุชุนุฑู ู ู ู ู ุนู ู ู ุนู ู ู ู ู ู ุดู ู ุงุทุงุชโ ฌ โ ซุงู ุบุฑู ู ู ุฉ ู ู ุฌู ู ุงุงู ุช ุชุญุฑู ู ู ู ุง ู ู ุงู ุญู ู ุงุฑุถ ู ุงู ู ุณู ู ุชู ุจู โ ฌ โ ซุงู ุณู ู ู ุง ุนู ู ุฑุถ ุงู ู ู ู ุฑุต ุงู ุชุฌุงุฑู ู ู ุฉ ู ุงุงู ุณู ู ุชุซุงุฑู ุฉ ู ู โ ฌ โ ซุงุฃู ุณู ู ู ุงู ุงู ุนุฑุจู ู ู ุฉ ู ู ุฐู ู ู ู ุงู ู ู ู ุฑุต ุงู ู ุญุชู ู ู ู ุฉ ู ู ุนู ู โ ฌ โ ซู ู ู ุน ุงู ู ู ุฑุดู ุงุช ุงู ุฑู ุทุงู ู ู ู ุฉโ ช .โ ฌู ุฃุดู ู ุงุฑ ุงู ุณู ู ู ุฏ ุงุฅู ุฏุฑู ู ู ู โ ฌ โ ซุฅู ู ุฃู ุงู ุบุฑู ู ู ุฉ ู ู ู ุฏ ู ุงู ู ู ุช ู ุนู ู ู ู ู ู ุฏู ุงู ู ู ู โ ช 40โ ฌุนุงู ู ุงู โ ฌ โ ซู ู ู ู ุฐ ุชุฃุณู ุณู ู ู ุง ู ุญุชู ู ู ุงู ู ุญุธู ู ุฉ ุนู ู ู ุฏุนู ู ู ุงู ุชุฌู ู ุงุฑุฉโ ฌ โ ซุงู ุนุฑุจู ู ู ุฉ ุงู ุฑู ุทุงู ู ู ู ุฉโ ช ุ โ ฌู ู ู ู ู ู ุชู ู ู ู ู ุฉ ู ู ู ู ุงุฏุฑุฉโ ฌ โ ซุนู ู ู ุชู ุฏู ู ู ู ู ุฌู ู ุนู ู ุฉ ู ู ู ู ุงู ู ุตุงุฆู ู ุญ ู ุงู ุฎุฏู ู ู ุงุชโ ฌ โ ซุงู ู ุชุฎุตุตู ู ุฉ ู ู ู ู ุฑุดู ุงุช ุงุฃู ุนุถู ู ุงุกโ ช .โ ฌู ุฃุดู ู ุงุฑ ุงุฅู ุฏุฑู ู ู ู โ ฌ โ ซุฅู ู ุจุฑู ุงู ู ู ุฌ ุงู ุบุฑู ู ู ุฉ ุจุฎุตู ู ู ุต ุงู ู ุนุงู ู ู ู ุงุช ุงู ุชุฌุงุฑู ู ู ุฉโ ฌ โ ซู ู ุนู ู ุงู โ ช 2016โ ฌู ู ู ุน ุงู ุฑู ู ู ู ุฒ ุนู ู ู โ ู ู ู ุฑุต ุงุงู ุณู ู ุชุซุงุฑโ ฌ โ ซู ุงู ุชุฌู ู ุงุฑุฉโ ู ู ุงุฃู ุณู ู ู ุงู ุงู ุนุฑุจู ู ู ุฉ ุงู ุฑุฆู ุณู ู ู ุฉโ ช ุ โ ฌุงู ุณู ู ู ุงโ ฌ โ ซุฏู ู ู ุฌู ู ู ุณ ุงู ุชุนู ู ุงู ู ุงู ุฎู ู ุฌู ู ู ุฉ ู ุงู ุนู ุฑุงู ู ุงู ุฌุฒุงุฆู ู ุฑโ ฌ โ ซู ุงู ู ุบู ู ุฑุจ ู ุชู ู ู ู ุณ ู ุบุฑู ู ู ุงโ ช .โ ฌู ู ู ุง ุฃุนู ู ู ู ุงุฅู ุฏุฑู ู ู ู โ ฌ โ ซุนู ู ู ุฅู ุดู ู ุงุก ู ู ู ู ู ุน ู ู ู ู โ ู ู ุฆู ู ุฉ ุงู ุดู ู ุงุฑู ุฉ ู ุงุณู ู ุชุซุงุฑโ ฌ โ ซู ุงู ุชุทู ู ู ู ุฑ (ุฑุดู ู ) ู ู ู ุจู ู ู ู ุบุฑู ู ู ุฉ ุงู ุชุฌู ู ุงุฑุฉ ุงู ุนุฑุจู ุฉโ ฌ โ ซุงู ุฑู ุทุงู ู ู ู ุฉโ ช ุ โ ฌุจุนุฏุชู ู ู ู ู ุน ู ุฐู ู ู ุฑุฉ ุชู ุงู ู ู ู ุจู ู ู ุงู ู ู ุฆู ู ุฉโ ฌ โ ซู ุงู ุบุฑู ู ู ุฉโ ช.โ ฌโ ฌ

‫‪ECONOMIC FOCUS CHAMBER NEWS‬‬

‫الشــارقة عــى وجــه خــاص أو يف باقــي اإلمــارات‬ ‫عــى نحــو أوســع‪.‬‬ ‫وتــرأس هيئــة الشــارقة لاســتثار والتطويــر‬ ‫(رشوق) الشــيخة بــدور بنــت ســلطان القاســمي‪،‬‬ ‫وتضــع ســمو الشــيخة بــدور حجــر األســاس أن‬ ‫تكــون هــذه الهيئــة القــوة الدافعــة وراء التحــول‬ ‫الكبــر ايف جوانــب االســتثار والتجــارة يف إمــارة‬ ‫الشــارقة‪.‬‬ ‫وحــددت الهيئــة “رشوق” مجموعــة متنوعــة مــن‬ ‫الفــرص االســتثارية يف مختلــف أنحــاء اإلمــارة‪،‬‬ ‫ويتمثــل عمــل الهيئــة بشــكل أســايس عــى‬ ‫مســاعدة اللقــاء والتفاهــم والتعاقــد بــن املنتــج‬ ‫الصحيــح مــع املســتثمر املناســب‪.‬‬ ‫ويتمحــور عمــل “رشوق” عــى تعزيــز النشــاط‬ ‫االقتصــادي وتشــجيع فــرص االســتثار وتحقيــق‬ ‫النمــو املســتدام واالعتــاد عــى الخ ـرات الذاتيــة‬ ‫والعامليــة يف العديــد مــن القطاعات‪ ،‬وذلــك اعتادا ً‬ ‫عــى مــا ميكــن تحقيقــة مــن رشاكات بــن القطاعن‬ ‫العــام والخــاص أو مشــاريع مشــركة الســيا عــى‬ ‫مســتوى املشــاريع اإلسـراتيجية الرئيســية يف إمــارة‬ ‫الشــارقة‪ .‬ويشــمل عمــل هيئــة الشــارقة لاســتثار‬ ‫والتطويــر (رشوق) بشــكل اســايس‪-:‬‬

‫• إيجاد وتحديد فرص االستثار‬

‫تطوي ـرات قطــاع الصناعــة الرئيســية أيض ـاً‬

‫• دراسات فائقة الجدوى عن حالة السوق‬

‫• أنشــطة قطاعــات جديــدة مثــل الرعايــة الصحية‪،‬‬ ‫والطاقــة‪ ،‬والبيئــة‪ ،‬والخدمات اللوجســتية‬

‫• املعرفــة مــن الداخــل عــن األنشــطة االقتصاديــة‬ ‫يف الشــارقة‬ ‫• املساعدة يف تقييم االستثار‬ ‫• عقــد رشاكات بــن القطاعــن العــام والخــاص أو‬ ‫إنشــاء مشــاريع مشــركة‬ ‫• إيجاد الدعم املناسب من حكومة الشارقة‬ ‫وتتــوىل ”رشوق“ مهمــة تخطيــﻂ وتصميــم األصول‬ ‫الخاصــة بتنميــة قطــاع الســياحة يف الشــارقة‪.‬‬ ‫وتتنــوع محفظــة ”رشوق“ الحاليــة مــا بــني اآلﻲﺗ‪-:‬‬ ‫• تخطيــط وتصميــم األصــول يف قطــاع الســياحة‬ ‫والتنميــة الرئيســية يف الشــارقة‬ ‫• محفظة متنوعة‬ ‫• الحفــاظ عــى الــراث‪ ،‬إىل جانــب مشــاريع‬ ‫الواجهــات البحريــة‪ ،‬وتجــارة التجزئــة‪ ،‬والعــروض‬ ‫الســكنية‬ ‫• تتوســع بنشــاط محفظتهــا االســتثارية لتشــمل‬

‫وتســعى “رشوق” إلقامــة رشاكات دامئــة ومربحــة‬ ‫ومســتدامة‪ .‬وتديــر “رشوق” حاليــاً عــددا مــن‬ ‫األصــول ضمــن محفظتهــا وبإمكانهــا إدارة أصــول‬ ‫املشــاريع املشــركة يف املســتقبل والحفــاظ عــى‬ ‫مشــاريع تتــاىش مــع أهــداف االســتثار املشــركة‪.‬‬ ‫ميكــن للــرشكات واألشــخاص الذيــن يرغبــون‬ ‫مبعلومــات عــن املتطلبــات والخيــارات املتاحــة‬ ‫لتأســيس رشكــة يف الشــارقة أو تفاصيــل كاملــة عــن‬ ‫إنشــاء األعــال التجاريــة يف اإلمــارة‪ ،‬مبــا يف ذلــك‬ ‫الخطــوات التــي ينبغــي اتخاذهــا إلنشــاء فــرع‬ ‫رشكــة أجنبيــة‪ ،‬أن يجــدوا هــذه املعلومــات عــى‬ ‫هــذا الرابــط‪:‬‬ ‫‪http://shurooq.gov.ae/set-up-a-business/pro‬‬‫‪/cess-and-requirements‬‬ ‫ميكن للرشكات االتصال بسكرتارية هيئة الشارقة‬ ‫لاستثار والتطوير (رشوق) عى الرابط‪:‬‬ ‫‪Shurooq@abcc.org.uk‬‬

‫ ‬

‫‪ARAB-BRITISH CHAMBER OF COMMERCE 109‬‬

‫هيئة الشارقة للستثمار والتطوير‬ ‫)شروق( تؤسس سكرتاريتها في مبنى‬ ‫غرفة التجارة العربية البريطانية ‪ -‬لندن‬ ‫‪Sharjah Investment and Development‬‬ ‫‪Authority (Shurooq) Secretariat Established at‬‬ ‫‪ABCC - London‬‬ ‫املتواصلــة لتشــجيع وتعزيــز وتســهيل االســتثار‬ ‫والتعــاون اإلمنــايئ بــن مجتمعــات األعــال‬ ‫الريطانيــة وإمــارة الشــارقة‪.‬‬ ‫أن افتتــاح مكتــب الســكرتارية قــد جــاء بُعيــد‬ ‫التوقيــع الرســمي عــى مذكــرة تفاهــم بــن الغرفــة‬ ‫وهيئــة الشــارقة لاســتثار والتطويــر (رشوق) يف‬ ‫لنــدن يف أبريــل مــن عــام ‪ ،2015‬بهــدف العمــل‬ ‫بصــورة أوثــق لتعزيــز التجــارة الثنائيــة‪.‬‬

‫عيىى والسيد مروان بن جاسم الرسكال‪ ،‬المدير التنفيذي لهيئة ‬ ‫”رسوق“‬ ‫الدكتورة أفنان الشُ ‬

‫أثــر توقيــع مذكــرة تفاهــم بــن غرفــة التجــارة‬ ‫العربيــة الريطانيــة وهيئــة الشــارقة لاســتثار‬ ‫والتطويــر (رشوق) يف شــهر نيســان (أبريــل) عــام‬ ‫‪ ،2015‬بغيــة توطيــد التعــاون والتنســيق وتشــجيع‬ ‫االســتثار والتجــارة بــن بريطانيــا وإمــارة الشــارقة‪،‬‬ ‫أعلنــت غرفــة التجــارة العربيــة الريطانيــة وهيئــة‬ ‫الشــارقة لاســتثار والتطويــر (رشوق) عــن إنشــاء‬ ‫مكتــب ســكرتاريتها يف العاصمــة الريطانيــة لنــدن‪،‬‬ ‫يف مقــر غرفــة التجــارة العربيــة الريطانيــة يف‬ ‫منطقــة مــي فــر‪.‬‬ ‫وتـ ّم االتفــاق عــى هــذه املبــادرة رســمياً يف اجتاع‬

‫عقــد يف غرفــة التجــارة العربيــة الريطانيــة يف شــهر‬ ‫كانــون الثــاين (ينايــر) ‪.2016‬‬ ‫الشــارقة هــي واحــدة مــن اإلمــارات الســبع التــي‬ ‫تشــكل مــع ســتة إمــارات أخــرى دولــة اإلمــارات‬ ‫العربيــة املتحــدة‪ ،‬وهــي ثالــث أكــر مدينــة يف‬ ‫دولــة اإلمــارات العربيــة املتحــدة‪ .‬وقــد جــاءت‬ ‫هــذه املبــادرة الجديــدة مــن أجــل توفــر الخدمات‬ ‫لدعــم الــرشكات التي تســعى إىل تحقيــق النجاح يف‬ ‫دخــول ســوق الشــارقة وتســهيل تحســن العاقــات‬ ‫التجاريــة مــع اململكــة املتحــدة‪ .‬وسيســاعد إنشــاء‬ ‫مكتــب الســكرتارية لهيئــة “رشوق” يف جهودهــا‬

‫وتسرشــد هيئــة الشــارقة لاســتثار والتطويــر‬ ‫(رشوق) أهدفهــا مــن اإلمكانيــات الحقيقيــة التــي‬ ‫متتلكهــا إمــارة الشــارقة وتأريخهــا وقــوة بنيتهــا‬ ‫التحتيــة وجذبهــا الســياحي واالســتثاري والتجاري‬ ‫الكبــر‪ .‬أن إمــارة الشــارقة كونهــا كيــان حكومــي‬ ‫مســتقل ضمــن دولــة اإلمــارات العربيــة املتحــدة‪،‬‬ ‫تقــف خلــف هيئــة الشــارقة لاســتثار والتطويــر‬ ‫(رشوق)‪ ،‬ويتمحــور عملهــا بشــكل أســايس عــى‬ ‫تســهيل ال ـرشاكات وربــط املســتثمرين والــرشكات‬ ‫ورجــال األعــال الريطانيــن مــع الفــرص املناســبة‬ ‫يف إمــارة الشــارقة‪.‬‬ ‫وتســعى “رشوق” يف عملهــا أيضــاً إىل التقييــم‬ ‫واملتابعــة للمشــاريع املحتملــة والســارية املفعــول‬ ‫يف مجــاالت الســياحة واالســتثار ويف مشــاريع‬ ‫البنيــة التحتيــة ذات الصلــة بالــراث‪ ،‬واملشــاركة‬ ‫يف عمليــة البنــاء والتنميــة الشــاملة ســواء داخــل‬

‫العدد األول ‪ ،‬املجلد ‪ ،11‬شتاء ‪2016‬‬

‫‪ECONOMIC FOCUS CHAMBER NEWS‬‬

‫‪109‬‬

‫‪107‬‬

‫‪106‬‬

‫‪97‬‬

‫غرفة التجارة العربية الربيطانية‬ ‫‪Arab-British‬‬ ‫‪Chamber of Commerce‬‬ ‫‪43 Upper Grosvenor Street‬‬ ‫‪London W1K 2NJ‬‬ ‫‪Tel: +44 (0) 20 7235 4363‬‬ ‫‪Fax: +44 (0) 20 7245 6688‬‬ ‫‪economicfocus@abcc.org.uk‬‬ ‫‪www.abcc.org.uk‬‬

‫“أضواء عىل قضايا العالقات العربية‪-‬الربيطانية”‬ ‫مجلة اقتصادية من إصدارات غرفة التجارة‬ ‫العربية الربيطانية يف لندن‬

‫محتــــــــوياتالــــــعدد‬

‫تقارير خاصة‬ ‫مقابلة خاصة‪ :‬تطوير محطة كهرباء باتريس ‬ ‫اململكة املتحدة‪ :‬املركز القيادي يف العامل الغريب للتمويل اإلسالمي ‬ ‫سلطنة ُعامن‪ :‬مامرسة األعامل التجارية ‬ ‫املغرب‪ :‬طموح الوصول للطاقة النظيفة ‬ ‫الغرفة وغرفة لندن‪ :‬الوفد التجاري املشرتك للمملكة العربية السعودية ‬ ‫تأسيس سكرتارية هيئة الشارقة لالستثامر والتطوير "رشوق" يف مبنى الغرفة ‬ ‫اتجاهات أسواق العقارات السكنية يف اململكة العربية السعودية ‬ ‫اتجاهات أسواق العقارات يف دولة اإلمارات العربية املتحدة ‪ 2016‬‬ ‫قانون ديب الجديد حول الرشاكة بني القطاع الخاص والعام ‬ ‫املسح االقتصادي الفصيل الربيطاين ‬

‫‪6‬‬ ‫‪10‬‬ ‫‪ 29‬‬ ‫‪32‬‬ ‫‪36‬‬ ‫‪42‬‬ ‫‪48‬‬ ‫‪50‬‬ ‫‪54‬‬ ‫‪66‬‬

‫أخبار الغرفة‬ ‫نشاطات الغرفة ‬ ‫أعضاء جدد ‬

‫‪74‬‬ ‫‪80‬‬

‫التقرير االقتصادي العريب‬ ‫هيئة الشارقة لالستثامر والتطوير (رشوق) تؤسس سكرتاريتها يف مبنى الغرفة يف لندن ‪109‬‬ ‫غرفة التجارة العربية الربيطانية تقيم حفالً لجمع أعضائها الجدد والقدامى ‪107‬‬ ‫‪104‬‬ ‫بريطانيا واالتحاد األورويب ‬ ‫ضوء من التجربة الربيطانية‪ :‬دور املنشأت الصغرية يف االقتصادات واملجتمعات ‪97‬‬ ‫‪89‬‬ ‫نظام التعليم والتدريب املهني يف بريطانيا ‬

‫حقوق النرش‬ ‫تحتفظ غرفة التجارة العربية – الربيطانية بحقوق‬ ‫النرش للمعلومات التي تحتويها هذه املجلة‪ ،‬وال‬ ‫يحق ألي جهة أخرى إعادة أنتاجها أو إعادة‬ ‫صياغتها أو إعادة توزيعها الكيل أو الجزيئ بدون‬ ‫موافقة مبارشة من غرفة التجارة العربية‬ ‫الربيطانية‬ ‫فريق املحررين‬ ‫عبد السالم اإلدرييس‪ ،‬كليف لورانس‪ ،‬ديفيد‬ ‫موركان‪ ،‬د‪ .‬ياسمني حسني‬

‫‪Production & Design‬‬ ‫‪Distinctive Publishing‬‬ ‫‪Unit 6b, Floor B, Milburn House‬‬ ‫‪Dean Street, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 1LE‬‬ ‫‪Tel: 0845 884 2385‬‬ ‫‪www.distinctivepublishing.co.uk‬‬

‫‪Advertising‬‬ ‫‪Distinctive Publishing‬‬ ‫‪Tel: 0845 884 2343‬‬ ‫‪john.neilson@distinctivegroup.co.uk‬‬

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