1. DOING BUSINESS IN THE MIDDLE EAST Challenges and Opportunities

2. Major Deterioration of the Situation
Political & Economical Climate
Major Deterioration of the Situation
War in different areas and outburst of terrorism
Refugee situation out of control
Attempted coup in Turkey
Currency devaluation in Egypt and Turkey and scarcity of foreign currencies
Sharp decrease in oil and commodities prices, reduction in public spending & tight liquidity
Return of protectionism and commercial barriers; BREXIT and US Elections
Uncertainty, volatility

3. Business Environment
Obstacles to Trade
Lack of transparency & difficulty in obtaining buyer information
Challenging structure of corporates
Inefficiency of the legal systems and lack of strong commercial laws
Specific market risks and their impact, the UAE situation
New requirements for compliance

4. Corporate Challenges
The current environment is pushing Companies of all sizes to innovate and look for alternative markets to expand their sales.
Companies are now looking for tools to secure their transactions and mitigate their risks.
Companies are seeking additional financing to back their growth and build resilience.

5. Credit insurance

6. The Lebanese Credit Insurer SAL
Overview
First independent specialised Credit Insurance Company in Lebanon and the Middle East, established in LCI covers domestic & export trade receivables,
Committed to support SMEs expanding their business within and from the MENA Region by providing them with innovative trade receivables management solutions ranging from trade credit insurance to credit information, debt collection and trade finance”
Croatia
Serbia
Cyprus
Syria
Lebanon
Kuwait
Jordan
Bahrain
Qatar
Egypt
UAE
27 people specialising in all aspects of trade credit receivables management
USD 2.6 billion turnover covered
USD 1.1 billion active commitments
Covering exports to more than 100 countries worldwide
KSA
Oman
Nigeria