The CARIFORUM-EU Business Forum was established in 2008 following the signing of the Economic Partnership Agreement between the CARIFORUM region and the EU. The forum aims to promote business and identify key sectors for economic growth, including information and communication technology. The EU imports more services from CARIFORUM in sectors like travel, transport, and communication, while exporting more insurance, financial, and computer services. The EPA seeks to increase investment flows between the regions and support sectors like telecoms, financial services, and tourism. The forum's recommendations include strengthening sector organizations, collaboration between governments and businesses, and skills training to help CARIFORUM benefit from the EPA.
Vito Gamberale - Future networks. Infrastructure governance for development a...Vito Gamberale
Vito Gamberale discusses infrastructure networks in Italy. Some key networks like airports, waste-to-energy plants, highways, and telecommunications have room for improvement compared to other European countries. F2i was created as an institutional fund to invest in developing these networks by aggregating existing infrastructure assets in industries. F2i has committed over 1.67 billion euros across industries like gas, renewables, transportation, water, airports, and telecommunications.
The 2008 Annual Report of the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA) of Oman highlights the following:
1) The TRA finalized the competitive process for selecting a preferred bidder for Oman's second integrated public fixed telecommunications license and issued five Class Two licenses for the resale of basic public mobile telecommunications services.
2) Mobile sector growth of 36% from the previous year, with mobile subscribers reaching 3.2 million and a penetration rate of 117% by the end of 2008.
3) The TRA engaged stakeholders through public consultation on over 15 regulatory and policy issues to develop the telecommunications sector in line with His Majesty Sultan Qaboos Bin Said's vision.
PTOLEMUS is the first international strategy consulting firm specialized in telematics and location-based services. They have over 20 consultants with 160 years of combined experience in these fields. They have completed over 50 assignments in the last 5 years for clients around the world, generating over $1 million in revenues in 2014. PTOLEMUS helps clients in the mobility ecosystem develop strategies around topics such as usage-based insurance, fleet management, intelligent transportation systems, and connected vehicles.
The document provides information on opportunities for skills development, enterprise development, and procurement at Transnet Port Terminals (TPT) in South Africa. It outlines TPT's operations and facilities, as well as its goals to support skills development, local enterprise development and preferential procurement to empower historically disadvantaged groups and promote economic transformation in the country. The document also lists specific current and upcoming procurement opportunities in equipment, components, and services that TPT requires.
Aryan performance appraisal system airtel new hr (1) ayushiMd Aktar
This document provides an overview of a performance appraisal report submitted by Yamini Gupta for her Master's degree. The report examines the performance appraisal system of Bharti Airtel, a major Indian telecommunications company. The document includes sections on the company profile, introduction to the topic, research methodology, data analysis, results and findings, limitations, and conclusions. It also lists acknowledgements and contains a table of contents outlining the document structure. The objective of the report is to study Bharti Airtel's performance appraisal process.
Ferrovial is a leading infrastructure company operating in toll roads, services, construction, and airports. It has over 66,000 employees working in more than 25 countries. Key assets include a 43.2% stake in Canada's 407 ETR toll road and a 25% stake in London Heathrow Airport. The company generates cash flow from construction and services activities as well as dividends from infrastructure projects. Ferrovial aims to reinvest cash flows from operations into new projects while also providing attractive shareholder returns.
Weldon- Ministerial brief Final MH Mark (3)Weldon K.
This document provides a ministerial brief on trade facilitation along the Northern Corridor trade route in East Africa. It discusses the economic significance of the corridor, connecting landlocked countries to the Port of Mombasa. While cargo volumes have grown substantially in recent years, the corridor faces challenges such as non-tariff barriers, corruption, and inefficient documentation processes that increase trade costs. The brief recommends carrying out a study to evaluate trade facilitation measures against member state and private sector expectations. It also recommends forming inter-ministerial committees in each country to address issues and monitor progress in streamlining cargo clearance procedures along the corridor.
Vito Gamberale - Future networks. Infrastructure governance for development a...Vito Gamberale
Vito Gamberale discusses infrastructure networks in Italy. Some key networks like airports, waste-to-energy plants, highways, and telecommunications have room for improvement compared to other European countries. F2i was created as an institutional fund to invest in developing these networks by aggregating existing infrastructure assets in industries. F2i has committed over 1.67 billion euros across industries like gas, renewables, transportation, water, airports, and telecommunications.
The 2008 Annual Report of the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA) of Oman highlights the following:
1) The TRA finalized the competitive process for selecting a preferred bidder for Oman's second integrated public fixed telecommunications license and issued five Class Two licenses for the resale of basic public mobile telecommunications services.
2) Mobile sector growth of 36% from the previous year, with mobile subscribers reaching 3.2 million and a penetration rate of 117% by the end of 2008.
3) The TRA engaged stakeholders through public consultation on over 15 regulatory and policy issues to develop the telecommunications sector in line with His Majesty Sultan Qaboos Bin Said's vision.
PTOLEMUS is the first international strategy consulting firm specialized in telematics and location-based services. They have over 20 consultants with 160 years of combined experience in these fields. They have completed over 50 assignments in the last 5 years for clients around the world, generating over $1 million in revenues in 2014. PTOLEMUS helps clients in the mobility ecosystem develop strategies around topics such as usage-based insurance, fleet management, intelligent transportation systems, and connected vehicles.
The document provides information on opportunities for skills development, enterprise development, and procurement at Transnet Port Terminals (TPT) in South Africa. It outlines TPT's operations and facilities, as well as its goals to support skills development, local enterprise development and preferential procurement to empower historically disadvantaged groups and promote economic transformation in the country. The document also lists specific current and upcoming procurement opportunities in equipment, components, and services that TPT requires.
Aryan performance appraisal system airtel new hr (1) ayushiMd Aktar
This document provides an overview of a performance appraisal report submitted by Yamini Gupta for her Master's degree. The report examines the performance appraisal system of Bharti Airtel, a major Indian telecommunications company. The document includes sections on the company profile, introduction to the topic, research methodology, data analysis, results and findings, limitations, and conclusions. It also lists acknowledgements and contains a table of contents outlining the document structure. The objective of the report is to study Bharti Airtel's performance appraisal process.
Ferrovial is a leading infrastructure company operating in toll roads, services, construction, and airports. It has over 66,000 employees working in more than 25 countries. Key assets include a 43.2% stake in Canada's 407 ETR toll road and a 25% stake in London Heathrow Airport. The company generates cash flow from construction and services activities as well as dividends from infrastructure projects. Ferrovial aims to reinvest cash flows from operations into new projects while also providing attractive shareholder returns.
Weldon- Ministerial brief Final MH Mark (3)Weldon K.
This document provides a ministerial brief on trade facilitation along the Northern Corridor trade route in East Africa. It discusses the economic significance of the corridor, connecting landlocked countries to the Port of Mombasa. While cargo volumes have grown substantially in recent years, the corridor faces challenges such as non-tariff barriers, corruption, and inefficient documentation processes that increase trade costs. The brief recommends carrying out a study to evaluate trade facilitation measures against member state and private sector expectations. It also recommends forming inter-ministerial committees in each country to address issues and monitor progress in streamlining cargo clearance procedures along the corridor.
The document summarizes ICT market opportunities in Tunisia and Morocco. In Tunisia, the ICT sector has experienced strong growth and Tunisia positions itself as a regional tech center, though the market is dominated by public tenders. The telecom market includes three major operators and is expanding 3G access. Morocco's ICT sector employs 32,000 people and is focused on areas like software development and BPO. The telecom sector includes three operators and 35% of Moroccans use the internet mostly via cafes and 3G. Business parks in Rabat and Tangier host nearshoring activities in IT and BPO.
The Connected Mobility Forecast 2016 is the first report to analyse and quantify the volumes and revenues of 14 car services markets and their associated connected car services globally.
The 14 connected mobility markets are: car sharing, car pooling, car rental, navigation, in-vehicle Wi-Fi hotspot, stolen vehicle tracking & recovery (SVT, SVR), emergency assistance (eCall / automatic crash notification), usage-based insurance (UBI), remote diagnostics, connected breakdown assistance (bCall), car leasing, road user charging (RUC) / electronic tolling, fuel card services and telematics fleet management services.
The document discusses strategies for digital inclusion and bridging the digital divide. It outlines initiatives by Telecom Italia to expand broadband access across Italy and make internet access a basic right. Specific projects discussed include expanding fiber optic networks and 4G coverage, developing a data center in Sicily to improve connectivity between Europe/Africa/Middle East, and education programs in Italy and Brazil to promote digital literacy and skills. The goal is to foster a culture of innovation through partnerships and increasing access to technology, education, art and culture for all.
Signing of the definitive agreements relative to the Veolia Transport - Trans...ve-finance
The document summarizes a conference call regarding the merger between Veolia Transport and Transdev. It discusses the merger creating the largest private transportation operator in the world, focused on markets in Europe, North America, and Asia. Synergies from the merger are estimated at €70 million annually from procurement, fleet management, and overhead reductions. The new entity will have annual revenue of €8.1 billion and operating cash flow of €502 million.
You may know us for the UBI Global Study and maybe the 2010 Location Study but PTOLEMUS's core activity is consulting. We detail here our experience in UBI.
Telecommunications Policies Standards and Regulations NotesHaris Hassan
This document discusses the regulation of telecommunications. It provides background on international agencies that regulate telecommunications, such as the International Telecommunication Union. It then discusses the regulation of telecommunications in Pakistan, including the various laws and regulations governing the telecom sector in Pakistan and the roles of regulatory bodies like the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority. Finally, it discusses some of the key issues in telecom regulation, such as interconnection, competition policy, and remedies for anti-competitive behavior by dominant operators.
Masreya for information technology&telecommunications(mitt)Michel Wahib
MITT is an Egyptian Shareholders Company (S.A.E.).
- Established on December 1999 under the Egyptian law No. 159.
- MITT is classified “first class” in Egyptian Federation for Construction & Building Contractors.
- A TÜV Rheinland certified company (ISO 9001:2008).
- MITT Staff more than 100 talented have an excellent experience in the telecommunication field since 1982 with the international companies in designing and installing turnkey Telecom,FTTX,IT networks.
The document discusses research and development opportunities in GNSS through Horizon 2020 funding calls. It summarizes four Horizon 2020 Galileo calls that provided over €100 million total for 58 projects. It outlines the goals of future calls on applications fostering green/safe mobility, digitization, and societal resilience. The calls will fund projects developing GNSS applications in areas like transportation, agriculture, and emergency response. It also describes the Fundamental Elements program funding GNSS receiver and chipset development to increase EU competitiveness and maximize benefits for citizens.
McDonald's está probando una aplicación de pago móvil que permitirá a los clientes ordenar y pagar por artículos de menú desde su teléfono y recoger su comida en el autoservicio o en el auto. La aplicación proporciona una forma conveniente de comprar comida rápida y se dirige a los clientes más jóvenes que usan teléfonos inteligentes con frecuencia para realizar compras.
Este documento describe diferentes tipos de sistemas operativos, incluyendo sistemas operativos por lotes, sistemas operativos en tiempo real, sistemas operativos distribuidos y sistemas operativos de red. Los sistemas operativos por lotes procesan trabajos por turnos, los sistemas en tiempo real deben cumplir estrictos requisitos temporales, los sistemas distribuidos unen nodos independientes y los sistemas de red integran software de red con el sistema operativo del equipo.
Document de prévention sur l’économie d’énergie en MartiniqueLaSARAentreprise
Dans le cadre de la Semaine du Développement Durable 2014, la SARA a souhaité cette année établir un partenariat avec les centre de contrôles AUTOVISION du département afin de sensibiliser les automobilistes martiniquais sur la nécessité d’effectuer de manière régulière la révision de leur véhicule.
Martinique is a French overseas department located in the Caribbean. Its economy relies heavily on tourism and agriculture, especially bananas, sugar, and rum. However, agriculture has declined in importance in recent decades as the economy transitions to a service-based model driven by household consumption and tourism. Unemployment remains high at around 25% despite efforts to diversify the economy and attract knowledge industries. Exports grew in 2006 led by petroleum products, though banana exports declined due to international competition and falling prices paid to producers.
Harnessing Services Trade for Development: A Background and Guide on Services...Michelle Hustler
While there are many factors to consider in the development of an internationally competitive services sector, this paper highlights one of the key, far reaching factors for the private sector – the establishment of a national (and/or regional) coalition of service industries.
A service coalition is an organization of stakeholders related to the services sector who may have diverse interests, but who share common industry-wide objectives – the development of the service industry. The objectives of the stakeholders are more efficiently accomplished through a coalition engagement
The paper helps to demonstrate that the type of service coalitions evolving in developing countries offer an innovative channel to address a range of institutional and practical challenges to micro and small developing country services firms and as such, to unlocking the potential of the services sector to foster inclusive growth, sustainable development and ultimately poverty reduction.
The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) sees the third global review of Aid for Trade as an important opportunity to evaluate the impact of aid, establish best practices, and recommit to aid as a development tool. CARICOM countries face challenges as small, vulnerable, and highly indebted economies. They are working to strengthen regional integration through various initiatives while also seeking to recalibrate the multilateral trading system to account for the needs of developing economies. CARICOM is developing a regional aid for trade strategy and working with partners like the EU, IDB, and Canada to design projects that can boost competitiveness and trade.
Overview & local businesses can access the EU market - Mr. Lincoln Price - Pr...Antigua Epa
This session will contextualize focus on the shift in the nature of trade relationship between CARIFORUM and the European Union with the signature of the EPA. In particular, it will address issues related to WTO compatibility, Reciprocity, Regional Integration, Most Favoured Nation Treatment, National Treatment, The New Emphasis on Services and Investment, Development Cooperation, and Trade Related Issues particularly Intellectual Property.
This session also seeks to discuss market access opportunities in services within the EU Market available to local businesses, paying particular attention to the services sector committed by Antigua and Barbuda, including but not limited to financial services, tourism, telecommunication services, marine services and transport, professional services, cultural services, health and wellness and construction services. This discussion should also include the required preparatory steps to be taken by local businesses to access markets under Mode 1 – Cross Border Supply and Mode 4 – Temporary Movement of Persons, as well as identify common non-tariff barriers that exist within the EU market.
Development Cooperation - Caribbean Export - Carlos Wharton - Senior Trade Po...Antigua Epa
This session will review the development cooperation provisions of the EPA Agreement and examine the role of the institutions charged with the responsibility of the provision of development assistance. This discussion should emphasize the need for strategic planning when requesting assistance or cooperation and the importance of technical assistance utilized for capacity building.
Presentation by Carlos Wharton - Senior Trade Policy Advisor
The document summarizes ICT market opportunities in Tunisia and Morocco. In Tunisia, the ICT sector has experienced strong growth and Tunisia positions itself as a regional tech center, though the market is dominated by public tenders. The telecom market includes three major operators and is expanding 3G access. Morocco's ICT sector employs 32,000 people and is focused on areas like software development and BPO. The telecom sector includes three operators and 35% of Moroccans use the internet mostly via cafes and 3G. Business parks in Rabat and Tangier host nearshoring activities in IT and BPO.
The Connected Mobility Forecast 2016 is the first report to analyse and quantify the volumes and revenues of 14 car services markets and their associated connected car services globally.
The 14 connected mobility markets are: car sharing, car pooling, car rental, navigation, in-vehicle Wi-Fi hotspot, stolen vehicle tracking & recovery (SVT, SVR), emergency assistance (eCall / automatic crash notification), usage-based insurance (UBI), remote diagnostics, connected breakdown assistance (bCall), car leasing, road user charging (RUC) / electronic tolling, fuel card services and telematics fleet management services.
The document discusses strategies for digital inclusion and bridging the digital divide. It outlines initiatives by Telecom Italia to expand broadband access across Italy and make internet access a basic right. Specific projects discussed include expanding fiber optic networks and 4G coverage, developing a data center in Sicily to improve connectivity between Europe/Africa/Middle East, and education programs in Italy and Brazil to promote digital literacy and skills. The goal is to foster a culture of innovation through partnerships and increasing access to technology, education, art and culture for all.
Signing of the definitive agreements relative to the Veolia Transport - Trans...ve-finance
The document summarizes a conference call regarding the merger between Veolia Transport and Transdev. It discusses the merger creating the largest private transportation operator in the world, focused on markets in Europe, North America, and Asia. Synergies from the merger are estimated at €70 million annually from procurement, fleet management, and overhead reductions. The new entity will have annual revenue of €8.1 billion and operating cash flow of €502 million.
You may know us for the UBI Global Study and maybe the 2010 Location Study but PTOLEMUS's core activity is consulting. We detail here our experience in UBI.
Telecommunications Policies Standards and Regulations NotesHaris Hassan
This document discusses the regulation of telecommunications. It provides background on international agencies that regulate telecommunications, such as the International Telecommunication Union. It then discusses the regulation of telecommunications in Pakistan, including the various laws and regulations governing the telecom sector in Pakistan and the roles of regulatory bodies like the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority. Finally, it discusses some of the key issues in telecom regulation, such as interconnection, competition policy, and remedies for anti-competitive behavior by dominant operators.
Masreya for information technology&telecommunications(mitt)Michel Wahib
MITT is an Egyptian Shareholders Company (S.A.E.).
- Established on December 1999 under the Egyptian law No. 159.
- MITT is classified “first class” in Egyptian Federation for Construction & Building Contractors.
- A TÜV Rheinland certified company (ISO 9001:2008).
- MITT Staff more than 100 talented have an excellent experience in the telecommunication field since 1982 with the international companies in designing and installing turnkey Telecom,FTTX,IT networks.
The document discusses research and development opportunities in GNSS through Horizon 2020 funding calls. It summarizes four Horizon 2020 Galileo calls that provided over €100 million total for 58 projects. It outlines the goals of future calls on applications fostering green/safe mobility, digitization, and societal resilience. The calls will fund projects developing GNSS applications in areas like transportation, agriculture, and emergency response. It also describes the Fundamental Elements program funding GNSS receiver and chipset development to increase EU competitiveness and maximize benefits for citizens.
McDonald's está probando una aplicación de pago móvil que permitirá a los clientes ordenar y pagar por artículos de menú desde su teléfono y recoger su comida en el autoservicio o en el auto. La aplicación proporciona una forma conveniente de comprar comida rápida y se dirige a los clientes más jóvenes que usan teléfonos inteligentes con frecuencia para realizar compras.
Este documento describe diferentes tipos de sistemas operativos, incluyendo sistemas operativos por lotes, sistemas operativos en tiempo real, sistemas operativos distribuidos y sistemas operativos de red. Los sistemas operativos por lotes procesan trabajos por turnos, los sistemas en tiempo real deben cumplir estrictos requisitos temporales, los sistemas distribuidos unen nodos independientes y los sistemas de red integran software de red con el sistema operativo del equipo.
Document de prévention sur l’économie d’énergie en MartiniqueLaSARAentreprise
Dans le cadre de la Semaine du Développement Durable 2014, la SARA a souhaité cette année établir un partenariat avec les centre de contrôles AUTOVISION du département afin de sensibiliser les automobilistes martiniquais sur la nécessité d’effectuer de manière régulière la révision de leur véhicule.
Martinique is a French overseas department located in the Caribbean. Its economy relies heavily on tourism and agriculture, especially bananas, sugar, and rum. However, agriculture has declined in importance in recent decades as the economy transitions to a service-based model driven by household consumption and tourism. Unemployment remains high at around 25% despite efforts to diversify the economy and attract knowledge industries. Exports grew in 2006 led by petroleum products, though banana exports declined due to international competition and falling prices paid to producers.
Harnessing Services Trade for Development: A Background and Guide on Services...Michelle Hustler
While there are many factors to consider in the development of an internationally competitive services sector, this paper highlights one of the key, far reaching factors for the private sector – the establishment of a national (and/or regional) coalition of service industries.
A service coalition is an organization of stakeholders related to the services sector who may have diverse interests, but who share common industry-wide objectives – the development of the service industry. The objectives of the stakeholders are more efficiently accomplished through a coalition engagement
The paper helps to demonstrate that the type of service coalitions evolving in developing countries offer an innovative channel to address a range of institutional and practical challenges to micro and small developing country services firms and as such, to unlocking the potential of the services sector to foster inclusive growth, sustainable development and ultimately poverty reduction.
The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) sees the third global review of Aid for Trade as an important opportunity to evaluate the impact of aid, establish best practices, and recommit to aid as a development tool. CARICOM countries face challenges as small, vulnerable, and highly indebted economies. They are working to strengthen regional integration through various initiatives while also seeking to recalibrate the multilateral trading system to account for the needs of developing economies. CARICOM is developing a regional aid for trade strategy and working with partners like the EU, IDB, and Canada to design projects that can boost competitiveness and trade.
Overview & local businesses can access the EU market - Mr. Lincoln Price - Pr...Antigua Epa
This session will contextualize focus on the shift in the nature of trade relationship between CARIFORUM and the European Union with the signature of the EPA. In particular, it will address issues related to WTO compatibility, Reciprocity, Regional Integration, Most Favoured Nation Treatment, National Treatment, The New Emphasis on Services and Investment, Development Cooperation, and Trade Related Issues particularly Intellectual Property.
This session also seeks to discuss market access opportunities in services within the EU Market available to local businesses, paying particular attention to the services sector committed by Antigua and Barbuda, including but not limited to financial services, tourism, telecommunication services, marine services and transport, professional services, cultural services, health and wellness and construction services. This discussion should also include the required preparatory steps to be taken by local businesses to access markets under Mode 1 – Cross Border Supply and Mode 4 – Temporary Movement of Persons, as well as identify common non-tariff barriers that exist within the EU market.
Development Cooperation - Caribbean Export - Carlos Wharton - Senior Trade Po...Antigua Epa
This session will review the development cooperation provisions of the EPA Agreement and examine the role of the institutions charged with the responsibility of the provision of development assistance. This discussion should emphasize the need for strategic planning when requesting assistance or cooperation and the importance of technical assistance utilized for capacity building.
Presentation by Carlos Wharton - Senior Trade Policy Advisor
Southern Africa.
14
Ramdoo, I and A. Walker. 2010. Implementing the Economic Partnership Agreement in the East African Community
and the CARIFORUM regions: What is in it for the private sector? ECDPM Discussion Paper 104. Maastricht: ECDPM
15
See for example, Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat. 2007. Pacific ACP States EPA Negotiations: Civil Society
Consultation Report. Suva, Fiji: Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat.
16
The governance bodies are: the Joint CARIFORUM-EC Council, the CARIFORUM-EC Trade and Development
Committee, the CARIFORUM-EC Parliamentary Committee and the CARIF
This document provides an overview and analysis of tourism services negotiation issues that are relevant for CARIFORUM countries. It discusses the diversity of tourism within CARIFORUM states, the context for a proposed negotiating strategy, and objectives of the strategy. The strategy aims to gain competitive advantages for CARIFORUM tourism destinations over competitors. It recommends distinguishing between the multilateral WTO negotiations and regional/hemispheric negotiations, with more ambitious requests in the latter. The strategy includes both defensive elements to preserve some tourism activities for regional suppliers, as well as offensive recommendations to increase market access and reduce costs.
The Brussels Development Briefing n.47 on the subject of “Regional Trade in Africa: Drivers, Trends and Opportunities” took place on 3rd February 2017 in Brussels at the ACP Secretariat (Avenue Georges Henri 451, 1200 Brussels) from 09:00 to 13:00. This Briefing was organised by the ACP-EU Technical Centre for Agricultural and Rural Cooperation (CTA), in collaboration with IFPRI, the European Commission / DEVCO, the ACP Secretariat, and CONCORD .
Roadmap - Vehicle tracking and fleet intelligence news - March 2015Frotcom
This document summarizes information from the Frotcom monthly newsletter called Roadmap. It discusses Frotcom welcoming a new team member in Peru, an event in Spain where Frotcom presented its fleet management solutions, and the launch of a new YouTube tutorial channel for Frotcom's platform.
Editorial: Air Transport, A Vital Challenge for Africa - Private Sector & Dev...Africa Cheetah Run
Africa needs a strong, efficient, competitive air transport sector. It is a catalyst for regio- nal integration, an indispensable support for intra-African trade and tourism, but also a tremendous employment driver. The emergence of an open, less fragmented African sky will therefore be essential for supporting the continent’s development.
1. CARTFund is a trust fund administered by the Caribbean Development Bank to help CARIFORUM countries boost growth and reduce poverty through trade and regional integration.
2. The fund became operational in 2009 with $7 million and aims to be $15.7 million by 2011 to support 18 approved projects related to implementing the EPA and CARICOM Single Market and Economy.
3. The objectives of the fund are to support EPA implementation, deepen CARICOM economic integration by completing the legal framework for integration and free movement of people, and strengthen the private sector.
The document discusses the World Customs Organization (WCO) and its role in supporting implementation of the WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA). The WCO has 179 member countries and works to set global customs standards. It launched an Implementation Guidance on its website to support members' TFA implementation through tools like the Revised Kyoto Convention. The WCO also has a Mercator Programme that provides technical assistance to help developing countries implement customs reforms and the TFA through strategic planning, needs assessments, and capacity building activities.
Morocco is promoting itself as an attractive investment destination due to its strategic location near Europe, competitive costs, strong infrastructure, and various incentives and sector strategies being developed in industries like automotive, aerospace, agriculture, renewable energy and tourism. The country has pursued economic and financial reforms to achieve macroeconomic stability and growth while improving its business environment and developing human resources. Investors are offered access to over 1 billion consumers through Morocco's network of trade agreements.
The EPA agreement between Cariforum and the EU contains comprehensive rules on services and investment. It liberalizes over 90% of sectors for EU investment in Cariforum states and provides opportunities for Caribbean professionals to supply services in the EU. Notably, the EU has opened its entertainment services sector to CSS from Cariforum without quotas. The agreement also includes a protocol on cultural cooperation to facilitate movement of artists between the regions. While Cariforum's commitments are more limited in scope, most states have opened key business services sectors. The agreement establishes dispute settlement procedures for violations of commitments.
Guide for Investors - Colombian Automotive Industry 2020ProColombia
Guide for Investors - Colombian Automotive Industry 2020
https://investincolombia.com.co/publication/guide-for-investors-colombian-automotive-industry.html
1. The document summarizes the key discussions and recommendations from a regional review meeting on Aid for Trade in Africa organized by the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa and other organizations.
2. Participants emphasized that regional integration and reducing trade costs are essential for Africa to benefit from globalization. Key priorities identified included infrastructure development, trade facilitation, and building human and institutional capacity.
3. It was recommended that Africa prioritize its trade needs at the regional level and develop action plans. International organizations should support these plans and regularly report on progress with Aid for Trade in Africa.
Similar to Cariforum-EU Business Forum - Recommendation & Findings on ICT - Reaping the benefits of the EPA (20)
The document is the 2014-2015 Global Competitiveness Report published by the World Economic Forum. It was edited by Professor Klaus Schwab and Professor Xavier Sala-i-Martín. The report assesses the competitiveness of various countries and economies based on the Global Competitiveness Index and data from the Executive Opinion Survey. It acknowledges contributions from various partner institutes that provided important support and data.
The 2014 Annual Report is split into three main sections. The first contains a message from the WTO Director-General. The second section provides a brief overview of 2013 and some background information on the WTO, while the third has more in-depth information.
This document provides an overview of the 20th anniversary of the Association of Caribbean States (ACS), which was established in 1994 to promote cooperation among countries in the Greater Caribbean region. It discusses the ACS's origins, achievements over its first two decades, and priority areas of focus going forward such as expanding trade and investment, reducing disaster risks, sustainable tourism, and regional transportation connectivity. The ACS Secretary-General highlights progress made in 2013, including ratification of agreements and approval of projects, and looks ahead to the upcoming 6th Summit in Mexico to further consolidate cooperation efforts across the region.
The European Commission’s assessment of the likely benefits of the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership
(TTIP) is based on analysis carried out by the Centre for Economic Policy Research, a leading
independent pan-European economic research organization. Given the significance of TTIP, this analysis
has been widely discussed in policy debates, in the press, on social media. The material provided in this
document attempts to answer some of the questions that have been raised in those contexts.
The Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) is responsible for the preparation of this report. U.S. Trade Representative Michael Froman gratefully acknowledges the contributions of all USTR staff to the writing and production of this report and notes, in particular, the contributions of Brittany Bauer, Colby Clark, and Michael Roberts. Thanks are extended to partner Executive Branch agencies, including the Environmental Protection Agency and the Departments of Agriculture, Commerce, Health and Human Services, Justice, Labor, State, and Treasury. In preparing the report, substantial information was solicited from U.S. Embassies around the world and from interested stakeholders. The draft of this report was circulated through the interagency Trade Policy Staff Committee. March 2014Wto2014 0918a
This document discusses trade between the CARICOM region and Ghana. It finds that while CARICOM exports a modest amount to Ghana, totaling $26.8 million USD in 2012, the trade is inconsistent and concentrated in a few products like ceramics, fish, and chemicals. Ghana's economy has grown around 6% annually in recent years due to its oil, gas, agriculture and services sectors. The document recommends CARICOM explore opportunities in Ghana's growing market, as some companies like GraceKennedy have already begun operations there.
The document discusses a meeting of the Council on Trade and Economic Development (COTED) of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) that recognized the need to address the link between trade policies, diet, and obesity in the Caribbean region. The COTED established a working group to prepare for a joint meeting in 2014 on these issues. The working group is coordinated by the Caribbean Public Health Agency, the Office of Trade Negotiations, and CARICOM. The collaboration aims to develop effective strategies to address non-communicable diseases related to poor dietary intake. The document summarizes research finding that international trade has reduced the costs of energy-dense foods high in sugars and fats, making these diets more affordable and contributing to obesity
This guide helps businesses take advantage of the WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement. The agreement simplifies customs procedures, allowing businesses to become more competitive. This jargon-free guide explains the provisions with a focus on what businesses need to know to take advantage of the agreement. It will also help policy makers identify their needs for technical assistance to implement and monitor it. - See more at: http://www.intracen.org/wto-trade-facilitation-agreement-business-guide-for-developing-countries/#sthash.UA1o6V3G.dpuf
The document summarizes the Common External Tariff (CET) structure used by CARICOM member states. It describes how the CET categorizes products as either inputs into production or final goods. These products are then further divided into competing or non-competing based on whether regional production meets 75% of regional demand. Several categories of products are given special treatment in the CET rates, including selected exports, agriculture, agricultural inputs, safety items, cost of living sensitive goods, socio-economic/cultural goods, and revenue generating items like alcohol and cigarettes.
This Working Paper was published by United Nations University Maastricht Economic and social Research Institute on Innovation and Technology (UNU-MERIT). It seeks to provide insights about the main characteristics of innovative firms and to gather new evidence with regard to the nature of the innovation process in the Latin American and Caribbean region. This Paper analyses data from a number of CARICOM countries.
The Caribbean Community Regional Aid for Trade Strategy 2013-2015 aims to help CARICOM member states overcome constraints to competitiveness and trade expansion through three strategic goals: 1) Upgrading key economic infrastructure, 2) Enhancing competitiveness and trade diversification, and 3) Deepening regional integration and maximizing gains from trade agreements. The strategy identifies priority areas and "anchor" projects to achieve these goals in maritime transport, ICT, energy, trade facilitation, and private sector development. It also categorizes activities as regional, national-regional, or national to coordinate aid for trade efforts across the Caribbean.
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Cariforum-EU Business Forum - Recommendation & Findings on ICT - Reaping the benefits of the EPA
1. CARIFORUM-EU
Business Forum
Recommendations and findings on ICT:
Reaping the benefit of the EPA
Table of contents
About the Forum
About the CARIFORUM-EU Business
Forum: Recommendations and
findings on ICT 1
EU Services Market and EPA Key
Areas 2
Challenges and Opportunities
of EPA 3
About The CARIFORUM-EU
Issues for the ICT Sector
in the Caribbean 4 Business Forum
he Cariforum and the EU business sectors established the CARIFORUM-EU Business
T
Forum Highlights: Regional Initiatives
to Move the ICT Sector Forward 5 Forum on November 26th, 2008 in Barbados. The Forum follows the signing of
the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) in October 2008, which will serve as
Forum’s ICT Panel Conclusions: the framework for public-private sector dialogue for fostering business between
A Plan Of Action For The ICT Sector 6 the two regions.
Recommendations for Organizing The main objective of this Forum is to promote business among operators from both the
the ICT Sector for Business Enterprise
Caribbean and the EU and to identify key sectors that will become the economic drivers to
Development 7
assist both regions - most particularly the Caribbean - in reaping the benefits of the EPA.
Follow-up Actions Undertaken
for ICT Sector 8 In its first stage, the Forum selected three key strategic sectors:
■ Information and technology (ICT)
■ Creative Industries: Film and Audiovisual
■ Architecture and interior design.
The Forum will include other sectors as it continues its activities in the near future.
The main recommendations of the Forum were in two major sectors:
■ Export Trade Expansion
■ Business Enterprise Development
The creation of the Forum was the initiative of the Caribbean Association of Industry and
Commerce (CAIC), the private sector umbrella of the CARIFORUM region, with the support of
the Caribbean Export Development Agency (Caribbean Export) and the Caribbean Regional
Negotiating Machinery (CRNM). The project was financed by Bizclim and supported by
European and Caribbean institutions and associations.
The major recommendations of the forum were:
■ To encouraging the development and strengthening of sector-specific organizations
■ To cultivate a greater degree of collaboration between governments and the private sector,
particularly sectoral organizations and associations
■ To pursue the harmonization of legislation within CARIFORUM
■ To develop a streamlined and structured approach to training and skills development
■ To Permanently establish the CARIFORUM-EU Business Forum in an organizational format
that would provide the benefit of ongoing oversight as well as a framework to facilitate
execution of a purposeful mandate and mission.
With the support of BizClim
2. EU Services Market and
EPA Key Areas
The EU services imports from CARIFORUM exceed exports in the following
The EU services imports
from CARIFORUM exceeds T categories: travel, transport, communication services and government services.
However, EU services exports are in surplus in the following areas: insurance,
financial, construction services, computer and related services, royalties and licenses
its export in the following fees, personal, cultural and recreational services and other business services.
categories: travel, The EU represents about a quarter of the investment flow into CARIFORUM, with the UK leading
transport, communication the group, followed by Spain. Italy, France, Germany and the Netherlands are also important
investors. The aim of investment provision in the EPA is to increase flows from the EU and third
services and government party countries, and to eliminate the need to negotiate new bilateral investment treaties.
services.
Government services and government procurement were excluded from the EPA. The
Agreement does have sectoral provisions on the following services: computer, courier,
telecoms, financial services, maritime transport, tourism, e-commerce and cooperation.
One important provision is the facilitation of temporary entry to the respective regions for up to
90 days for EU and Cariforum nationals in the following sectors: research & design, marketing,
training seminars, trade fairs & exhibitions, sales & purchasing, tourism personnel.
Market access in services: Cariforum has an average of 65%, with Dominican Republic at 76%
and Organisation of East Caribbean States at 50%. The EU broadened their offer to Cariforum
countried by 90% under WTO regulations. There are major gains in cultural industries where the
EU has for the first time offered access to this sector. There is a Cultural Industries Protocol.
The implementation of the EPA will face certain challenges, including legislative or regulatory
changes, information dissemination, organization of businesses by sectors, developing industry
standards and credentials, development of mutual recognition among CARIFORUM and
then CARIFORUM-EU, and the need to access developmental support. It is also important to
highlight the potential of the animation sector as a subset of the film and audiovisual sector.
Ramesh Chaitoo, Head Trade Services Unit, CRNM
Transport
7%
Undisclosed
18%
Travel
15%
Personal, cultural and
recreational services
0%
Communication services
0%
Government services n.i.e.
0% Construction services
7%
Other business services Insurances services
34% 12%
Financial services
4%
CARICOM ExpORts tO thE EU Computer and information services
3%
Royalties and licence fees
0%
2 CARIFORUM-EU Business Forum
3. Challenges and Opportunities
of EPA
The view from the Caribbean:
T
he EPA offers opportunities for the private sector of the region. However, it is
necessary that in-depth research is carried out in order the be able to understand
where those opportunities come from. It is also important that the Caribbean
becomes more innovative in pursuing new markets. The key areas of concern
for the region in terms of EPA include restrictions outside the provision of the agreement
encountered by services providers which are outside the provision of the agreement, but
that affect exports of services, such as work permit and visa requirements to enter EU countries,
the lengthy visa approval process for CARIFORUM nationals, the lack of double taxation treaties
between CARIFORUM and EU countries and nationality or residency requirements for the
establishment of certain companies in the region. Certain restrictions within and outside the
EPA can limit the Caribbean access to the EU market. Therefore, there is a recognized need for
capacity building and competitiveness of CARIFORUM firms in order to compete in the EU and
other markets.
Based on the presentation by Ben Arrindel, Country Manager Partner, Ernst and Young,
Barbados
The view from Europe:
T
he prive sector members of the European Services Forum welcome the signature
of the EPA. It is the first agreement signed by the EU that not only includes services
but also has provisions for investment. In the EPA, the EU, whose economy is heavily
based on services (77%), has opened up 94% of its service market, and CARIFORUM,
with 70% percent of its economy in the services sector, has opened up 74% of its services
market.
The signature of the EPA is just the beginning. Now the implementation begins, divided in
two parts: to implement the commitment at home and to find ways to benefit from the
Agreement. It is important that both of these aspects are carried out. CARIFORUM must look at
what legislative changes are required and assess the current conditions in the various services
sectors in order to identify and make the necessary modifications in the shortest time possible.
CARIFORUM member states must also begin looking for business partners both in the region
and in Europe. For the implementation of the EPA, a kind of Caribbean Interconnecting
Machinery is needed in order to help bring potential partners together.
It is important to develop a long-term strategy for the sectors and then use the funding
available to implement that strategy. The Forum is a good first step to look to build partnership
and opportunities.
45 % shARE Of tOtAl EU fDI
Based on presentation by Pascal Keanis, 40
In CARIfORUM
Managing Director European Services Forum (ESF) 35
by sOURCE 1997-2003
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
UK Spain France Dutch Italy Germany
CARIFORUM-EU Business Forum 3
4. Issues for the ICT Sector
in the Caribbean
A shared responsibility of public and private sectors
Overall issues public sector private sector timeline (immediate
responsibility responsibility (sector/ (I), short to medium
business) term (sMt), long term
(lt)
public policy
■ Strategic development and expansion of basic ICT educational X Sector SMT
opportunities.
■ Promote and streamline national facilitating investment programmes. X Sector SMT
■ Encourage development of more effective regional coordinating X Sector SMT
mechanisms.
■ Proactively pursue liberalization of the region’s telecommunications X Sector/Bus. SMT
sector.
■ Development of quality assurance standards X Sector SMT
legal
■ Develop more effective legal and regulatory frameworks to facilitate X SMT
industry expansion in regard to areas such as investment planning,
international telecommunications, e-commerce and intellectual
property rights.
Infrastructure
■ Develop improved data and information transmitting facilities in order X Sector SMT
to expand capacity and attain greater economic efficiencies
human Resources
■ Incorporate ICT education as an integral component of public policy X Sector/Bus. SMT
relating to education and training.
■ Promote and facilitate software knowledge and skills development. X Sector/Bus. SMT
■ Expand opportunities for ongoing skills specific training, including the X Sector/Bus. I
fostering of mentorship programmes.
Research and business Development
■ Encourage and promote, on a structured basis, more industry-specific X Sector/Bus. SMT
research initiatives, in collaboration with institutions of higher learning,
such as universities.
■ Encourage intra-industry networking, including registration and Sector/Bus. I
information sharing with organizations having similar interests.
■ Provide financial and technical assistance to foster development and Sector/Bus. I
growth of small enterprises having impressive growth potential.
■ Encourage and promote the development of group clusters. X Sector/Bus. I
Marketing Development
■ More structured dissemination of information on markets, their Sector/Bus. I
conditions and outlook.
■ More aggressive promotion of the regional strengths as provider of ICT Sector/Bus. I
services in relation to key target markets.
Source: ICT Discussion Paper. Cariforum-EU
Business Forum
4 CARIFORUM-EU Business Forum
5. Forum Highlights:
Regional Initiatives to Move the ICT
Sector Forward
B
ettering the enabling environment and promoting supportive public policies, in
particular
■ The development and/or adoption of internationally accepted standards of technological
compatibility and appropriateness across the region
Private-Public partnership
■ The enhancement of relevance and competitiveness in the quality of training to foster an enabling
■ Policies to lower costs associated with access to infrastructure
■ The improvement of the harmonization of statutes and regulations across the region and environment and sector
with other regions growth
■ The simplification and harmonization of the taxation regimes
■ The obliteration of regional trade restrictions and barriers
■ The establishment of a regional (CARIFORUM) ICT (intergovernmental) body
■ The adoption of regional (Caribbean) wide electronic payment and settlement systems
The forum also stressed the importance of the establishment of a single regional
Regional ICT private sector
representational body for the ICT sector through which its interests could be advocated, and
the development of a single virtual online interface that connects CARIFORUM ICT sector alliance, for synergies,
players. Such an organisation could also be central to promoting the Caribbean as a location
for serious ICT business enterprise development, and to ensure effective representational
advocacy and effective
arrangements in major potential markets.
The forum recommended greater cooperation among enterprises to develop expertise
Searching excellence
and build technological capacity, and to jointly pursue and exploit business opportunities,
prioritising and sourcing excellence only in well-targeted market niches. Technologically savvy to boost ICT enterprises
firms need to enhance their marketing capacity, and look for joint-ventures (both with regional
and extra-regional firms) to develop new markets. Caribbean firms should consider the price
competitiveness
differentials with the EU and US markets as a key competitive advantage. The forum also called
for the larger economic players of the region to establish a ‘business angels’ group that could
encourage and support investment in innovation.
CARIFORUM-EU Business Forum 5
6. Forum’s ICT Panel Conclusions:
A Plan Of Action For The ICT Sector
Recommendations for Organizing the ICT Sector for Sustainable Export
Key issues Areas to be addressed
standards development and ICT professionals, including consultants, need to establish standards for areas such as certification and cross-
compliance border movements. The development and/or adoption of internationally accepted standards, as well as strict
compliance with their requirements, represent an absolute imperative for the sector.
Industry representation Development of a single regional representational body through which ICT sector interests are advocated is
essential for development and growth of the sector.
Development of a CARIfORUM ICt A single virtual online interface that connects CARIFORUM ICT sector players, linking them with counterparts, as
portal well as potential customers in Europe.
training, research and development ■ the quality of training provided by regional institutions of learning, particularly at the tertiary level
■ Greater attention needs to be paid to applied research and development in niche (specialty) areas which are
considered to possess attractive business development opportunities
■ The existing cadre of very skilled regional software developers, for example, was considered to represent an
area to be more exploited in building regional capacity.
Investment support The need to increase capital investment to foster sector growth and development. The establishment of a
business angels group that would encourage and support investment represents an approach that should be
explored.
Infrastructure costs Relatively high costs associated with access to infrastructure facilities have served to place the CARIFORUM
region at a competitive disadvantage in the market place. There is the need for higher investment on
telecommunication infrastructure as well as collaborative roles of regional industry stakeholders in addressing
these matters and in seeking improved harmonization of statutes and regulations.
ICt CARICOM sub-group Need to collaborate closely with the CARICOM ICT Task Force
Repositioning need for the region The need to change the misperception, among many persons, that the Caribbean region caters primarily to
resort and leisure and therefore, would not represent a preferred or recommended location for serious ICT
business enterprise development
business travel restraints Travel arrangements requiring the issue of visas to CARIFORUM nationals conducting business in EU territories
and in some instances, even within the region, often represent a major challenge. Provision in the EPA needs to
be followed up.
E-commerce, borderless trade Need for the adoption of electronic payment and settlement systems to facilitate the development of electronic
commerce and international trade
security and privacy Security and privacy, particularly in regard to proprietary information, are among matters considered to be of
critical importance in an expanding international trading environment. Forum needs to address this issue as
provision in EPA text is deficient in this regard.
taxation Double taxation treaties as well as harmonize and simplification should be pursued both in Cariforum as well as
in EU. Need for more information to understand the present system is a start.
6 CARIFORUM-EU Business Forum
7. Recommendations for Organizing
the ICT Sector for Business
Enterprise Development
Key issues Areas to be addressed
niche industry focus Export development and expansion initiatives should preferably be niche focused in relation to areas for which
there are distinct competitive advantages, Development of software for the aviation industry was presented as
an example of a growing area being exploited by regional software developers.
separation of technological expertise In the ICT sector, it is critical that business enterprise development strategies seek to separately deploy persons
from marketing expertise having marketing competences from those who are technologically driven
single representational body for In order to more effectively impact public policy, as well as build critical mass, ICT entrepreneurs in the region
regional ICt entrepreneurs need to develop a single representational body
Collaboration in pursuing product Greater collaboration among business enterprises to jointly pursue and exploit business opportunities within the
development as well as business region, including regional EU territories, as well as in Europe. The Information Technology, Telecommunication
development opportunities and Electronics (INTELLECT) Association model of the U.K. was considered to represent a model that could be
emulated in the region.
Outsourcing and partnering Joint venture partnerships can provide effective mechanisms in competing for large projects in major markets.
Joint venture arrangements between regional and extra-regional firms also often bring higher levels of credibility
from a team perspective. There are opportunities in the areas of software development and data entry services
that could be explored.
business development services CARIFORUM business enterprises are therefore encouraged to explore the development of effective
representational arrangements in major potential markets. It was recommended that a regional body such as
CEDA develop such a mechanism to serve regional ICT enterprises.
billable rates-CARIfORUM vs the EU Relatively higher billable rates in the EU provide CARIFORUM enterprises with a competitive edge in bidding for
regional business opportunities. This opportunity should be exploited by regional firms.
Competition vs. Opportunities: the Case of ICt:
Mr. Pascal Keanis of ESF believes that ICT is a good sector for development in the
Caribbean as a result of the lack of license restrictions and low-level regulation.
However, the competition worldwide is tremendous: it is already a priority sector in
Egypt, Morocco, Kenya, Uganda, Dubai, the Andean countries, China, etc. It is a very
competitive field and the present economic crisis will make things more difficult as
fewer of the big companies will outsource these services.
Mr. Nigel John, President of CAIC, indicated that the region has selected the ICT
sector as a priority sector both in the context of the EPA and in the Forum because
of its proven potential. Whilst it is true that it is a competitive field, that is the very
reason that many countries have identified ICT as a priority sector. The region is
looking at low-level services, such as data entry - areas which have been analyzed as
having a competitive advantage.
CARIFORUM-EU Business Forum 7
8. Follow-up Actions Undertaken
for ICT Sector
Regional Contacts:
T
he Caribbean Export Development Agency (Caribbean Export) organized two
follow-up meetings of ICT firms, one in Barbados in February 2009, and another
regional workshop in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic on March 26-27th 2009.
A further Bizclim-sponsored ICT meeting for the ICT Sector is planned to take place in the
Caribbean Export Development Dominican Republic in June 2009. The objective is “to establish a Competitiveness Agenda to
Agency (Caribbean Export) boost the ICT sector in the Dominican Republic”. The meeting is being organized by the Santo
Hasting Main Road, Barbados Domingo Chamber of Commerce.
Carlos Lora No. 9, Santo Domingo,
Dominican Republic EU and other support offered to the ICt sector:
Contact: Tonika Sealy, Senior
Services Advisor Several programmes and organizations offer assistance to the ICT Sector in CARIFORUM
tsealy@carib-export.com countries, including:
Website: www.carib-export.com
potential sources of funding Main purposes
the European Union:
1. 9th EDf Caribbean Regional Integration support: CROSOQ and CRNM
Indicative programme 9th EDF Caribbean Trade and Private Sector Development
Caribbean Association of Industry Programme
and Commerce (CAIC) 2. 10th EDf Caribbean Regional Currently being programmed. €72 millions for EPA
Maraval, Port of Spain, Trinidad and Indicative implementation
Tobago 3. EDUlInK Tertiary education development support
Contact: Carol Ayoung, CEO 4. pROInVEst Support for investment projects
cayoung@tstt.net.tt 5. Centre for Development of Technical assistance and sector support for ICT firms
Enterprises
6. the ACp business Climate facility Support for business environment improvement initiatives.
(bizClim)
7. CORDIs-f7 EU funds for the promotion of innovation. Through EPA, the
Caribbean have access to this funds
8. Other European Union sources Pledges of individual member states for the support of EPA
development related projects. Funds from DFID, GTZ and others.
Caribbean Regional negotiating Other sources
Machinery (CRnM)
1. CIDA CARICOM trade and Support of the Secretariat for CSME harmonisation activities.
Hastins Main Road, Barbados Development project Other funds being programmed
Contact: Ramesh Chaitoo, Head
Services Trade Unit 2. the World bank Support for e-commerce initiatives
rchaitoo@crnm.org
3. the Multilateral Investment Special project support from IDB resources
Website: www.crnm.org fund(MIf) of the Inter-American
Investment bank (IDb) and other
IDb funds
Design by www.mazygraphic.be
8 CARIFORUM-EU Business Forum