The ARAB-EU Business Facilitation Network is an alliance of 15 leading Business Membership Organisations (BMOs) from the MENA region (Middle East and Northern Africa).

The BMOs have pledged to work strategically together, promoting relevant policy issues within and between their respective countries.

The Network was launched in 2010 and consists of BMOs from Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Yemen. The Confederation of Danish Industry (DI) acts as a facilitating organisation.

The purpose of the Network is to create a platform from which business associations from the region can discuss the challenges for businesses and identify shared solutions and policy recommendations. A specific emphasis is on improving access to the EU market for businesses in the region.

The Network will contribute to the creation of a more enabling environment for the private sector in the region for the benefit of growth and development in general.

The participating BMOs have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to work strategically together, promoting relevant policy issues within and between their respective countries and internationally.

The first annual meeting took place on December 7-8th.

In October 2011, the working group on SME development in the Gulf region met in Bahrain

On September 27-28th 2011, the AE-Network held a successful 3rd working group meeting in Beirut,...