Doron Peskin, pubblicato da Ynet News il 31.03.09

Secondo le stime espresse nel corso di una convegno economico svoltosi a Dubai il mondo arabo avrebbe subito perdite di 3 trilioni di $, a causa della crisi finanziaria mondiale. Nei paesi arabi il tasso di crescita nel 2009 dovrebbe risultare inferiore al 4%. Adnan al-Qasar, presidente della Camera di Commercio dell’ Industria e dell’Agricoltura dei paesi arabi ha dichiarato che il mercato dei capitali arabi ha perso circa $ 2,5 trilioni a causa del mancato funzionamento degli investimenti nei mercati esteri. Al-Qasar stima, tuttavia, che gli stati del Golfo saranno in grado di superare le crisi grazie alle riserve di valuta estera accumulate nel 2008. Le riserve accumulate dai sei paesi del Golfo ammontano a circa 1,5 trilioni di $ alla fine del 2008.

Articolo originale:

Following crisis: Arab world loses $3 trillion

Doron Peskin, published 31.03.09

Arab countries' growth rate in 2009 to be lower than 4%, according to estimates voices at a financial conference in Dubai. However, Gulf states will be able to overcome crisis due to high foreign currency reserves accumulated in 2008.

The Arab world's losses as a result of the global financial crisis stand at $3 trillion, according to estimates voiced during a financial conference in Dubai.

The conference speakers sounded pessimistic in regards to the year of 2009, estimating that the Arab states' growth rate this year would be lower than 4%.

This relatively low rate will increase the pressure on Arab economies, as their unemployment rates are estimated today at about 14%.

Adnan al-Qasar, president of the Arab countries' Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture, declared that the Arab capital market lost some $2.5 trillion as a result of failed investments in foreign markets. Local capital markets lost another $600 billion as a result of the global crisis and the drop in oil prices.

Al-Qasar estimated, however, that the Arab countries, led by the Gulf states, would be able to overcome the crisis due to the high foreign currency reserves they accumulated in 2008. The reserves collected by the six Gulf countries were estimated at some $1.5 trillion at the end of 2008.

Many of the conference's participants said that the obvious conclusion from the crisis was that Arab businessmen should invest their money in local markets, rather than expose themselves to unnecessary risks abroad.