The 1st Euro-Mediterranean Conference & Exhibition on Donor Funding, Banking and Novel Financial Instruments (MEDA Finance 09) was held on September 30th and October 1st in the Nile Hotel in Cairo, Egypt.

Prominent and distinguished speakers such as H.E. Rachid Mohammed Rachid, Minister of Trade and Industry, who delivered the keynote address for H.E. Dr. Ahmed Nazif, Prime Minister of Egypt, as well as Philippe de Fontaine Vive, 1st Vice President of the European Investment Bank (EIB) and H.E. Marc Franco, Head of the EC Delegation. Furthermore Mr. Gamal El Zorba, Cairman of the Federation of Egyptian Industries, BUSINESSMED and Med Alliance and the Swedish ambassador H.E. Malin Kärre, presenting the Swedish EU presidency, spoke at the event.

Approximately 360 participants attended both days of the conference to learn about opportunities and discuss ways to access the more than US$ 22 Billion, which are available in form of grants, preferential lines of credit, soft loans or non-banking financial instruments. This number originates from the 1st time study that was presented by Dr. Alaa Ezz, Secretary General of CEEBA at the conference.

Public and private donors from all major European countries, the United States and multilateral institutions like the World Bank were presenting their financial tools for the MEDA region in panel discussions. 

In addition to the conference, there was the presentation of the “Mare Nostrum” (Mediterranean Blue) award, that was granted conjointly to Mr. Philippe de Fontaine Vive of EIB and Mr. Naguib Sawiris, Chairman of the German Arab Chamber of Industry & Commerce, for their continuous efforts for better North-South economic integration.