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ANIMA Investment Network marks 10th Anniversary with meeting in Malta

On the occasion of the 10th Anniversary of the ANIMA Investment Network, ANIMA and Malta Enterprise are co-organising the annual ANIMA network Meeting, which will take place on 30 & 31 May 2016 in Malta.

It is significant to note that ten years ago, in April 2006, Malta Enterprise had hosted the first  ANIMA event entitled “Towards a sustainable strategy in the Mediterranean for the Services Industry. This seminar had focused on the need for Mediterranean nations to develop holistic strategies to attract foreign direct investment into services so as to counterbalance shifts of several manufacturing activities to lower-cost Asian countries. Now ten years after, the Malta meeting will be the occasion for ANIMA members to share their national points of view and develop a collective reflection on the following issues:  

  • What should be the position of the Mediterranean in the world in 10 years?
  • Which economic sectors will emerge from the new uses, constraints and organisations that arise?
  • How to prepare for the new human, industrial and territorial challenges?

The event is being supported by Bank of Valletta. Mark Scicluna Bartoli, Head of EU & Institutional Affairs, Bank of Valletta will be one of the speakers, discussing on EU funding opportunities for SMEs, through the SME Initiative Malta. This is a joint financial instrument of the European Commission, EIB Group and the Government of Malta which aims at stimulating SME financing by providing partial risk cover for SME loan portfolios originated by financial institutions. Jeanne Lapujade, Development and Network Coordinator, ANIMA Investment Network will be talking about Future ANIMA projects and EU funds available for Business Support Organisations.

Dr Mario Vella, Executive Chairman, Malta Enterprise will be talking about Foreign Direct Investment and Connectivity in the Mediterranean Region while Claire Azzopardi, Manager Foreign Direct Investment will be delivering a presentation entitled Promoting FDI: More Value for Money and Development Impact through Research.

The Annual Meeting will gather high level representatives from ANIMA members and partners: national and regional investment promotion agencies, international organisations, business federations, innovation clusters, financial investors and research institutes from the region. Participants in the Malta meeting hail from various Mediterranean countries including France, Spain, Italy, Cyprus, Morocco, Tunisia, Egypt, Lebanon and Syria.

This Meeting is part of a cycle of workshops in several countries, which aims at taking stock of 10 years of economic promotion strategies in the Mediterranean and mapping out fresh perspectives for development and cooperation for the next decade.

The conference will offer the opportunity for high level debate, exchange of views and experience-sharing, while allowing discovering the achievements and strategies developed in Malta.

 

Additional Info:

ANIMA Investment Network is a multi-country cooperation platform for economic development in the Mediterranean. The ANIMA network gathers national and regional investment promotion agencies, international organisations, business federations, innovation clusters, financial investors and research institutes from the region. It is operated from Marseille (France) and is chaired by Khalil Laabidi, General Manager, FIPA Tunisia. ANIMA’s objective is to contribute to the continued improvement of the Mediterranean business climate, as well as encourage a shared and sustainable economic development for the region.

Malta Enterprise is a founder member of ANIMA and sits on the Board of Directors of ANIMA. Since June 2105, it is also one of the Vice Presidents of ANIMA and is responsible for relations of ANIMA with international economic, trade and investment institutions including UNCTAD, WAIPA, OECD and others. The Maltese Vice President is Ms Philo Meli.