Executive Magazine

The tribal curse

by Farea al-Muslimi June 3, 2012

written by Farea al-Muslimi

Perhaps most of Yemen’s problems, if properly addressed, could be resolved within a short or medium timeframe — that is, except for the issue of tribes. Nothing in the country is more complex than its tribes. Even if not immediately apparent on the surface, tribal connections influence almost every aspect of Yemeni society and interaction, and lay the framework sustaining many of the country’s other problems.

The tribal system has existed in Yemen for thousands of years, but never quite in as problematic a form as it does now. Historically, the sheikhs that led the tribes represented the interests of their people before the national government, a setup that made practical sense given Yemen’s rugged geography and remote communities. Today, however, the focus of most sheikhs has turned to using their positions to concentrate wealth and power for themselves and their families. These tribes have, in many ways, replaced the role of the state, and become mini-states inside the state. A tribal sheikh acts as businessman, contractor, judge, lawyer, governor and every other type of bureaucratic functionary for his people. Some even have their own prisons for those who would disobey their tribal rule of law.

Economically, the impact has been terrible. Yemeni economists have estimated that 80 percent of the country’s income goes to a 2 percent segment of the population, with tribal sheikhs being among the most powerful of these elites. Having more than one salary from different government agencies, Yemenis even joke that some sheikhs get salaries as martyrs even if they are living.

Though still a problem in Southern Yemen, the power of sheikhs is weaker there, given that it had been curbed during the communist years before the 1990 reunification. The north, however, is a mess, where, since Yemen’s revolution in 1962, the power of the tribes has been continually shifting. When former President Ibrahim al-Hamdi tried to enforce the rule of law and weaken the sheikhs’ power in 1977, he was assassinated. Recently deposed President Ali Abdullah Saleh took a very different approach during his three-decade rule, empowering the sheikhs and legitimizing his rule with tribal support, while fueling wars between those tribes that challenged him.

The so-called “war on terror” is only complicating the issue, with the West allying with tribes to fight Al Qaeda in Yemen. Western cash and support is now a new source of wealth and corruption for tribal leaders, and has been counterproductive in terms of counter-terrorism. If the existence of Al Qaeda is bringing you money, would you really try to kill them off?

For the last few decades, Yemeni tribal leaders have also had monthly salaries from regional powers; from Saudi Arabia to Iran, Qatar and even from Libya’s Muammar Qaddafi, cash poured in. It was as if tribal leaders were saying to Saleh: “You get paid by the Americans, we get paid by others.” Some were even getting paid by two opposing countries at the same time and working to achieve both agendas, such as Libya’s and Saudi Arabia’s.

In April, the Yemeni Parliament tried to pass the annual budget, including $60 million for the tribal sheikhs. This incited rage around the country, especially among the youth who still occupy many of the city squares around Yemen. This amount was actually only a small portion of what sheikhs used to get from the former regime every month as a guarantee for their loyalty to Saleh. For the first time, Yemenis spoke publicly against this practice, and prime minister himself went into the street and promised not to pay the sheikhs. In response, the sheikhs held a national conference, condemning the prime minister and accusing him of trying to “explode a crisis in the country.”

At the same time, international humanitarian organizations and Yemeni government were begging the world to fund the $262 million shortfall in funding for humanitarian crisis response operations in Yemen; more than 1 million children suffer from acute malnutrition and more than 10 million Yemenis do not have enough to eat, according to the director of Save The Children in Yemen, Larry Farrell. Yet while humanitarian aid organizations call on the world to save Yemen from a catastrophe, and the World Bank warns of Yemen running out of oil to fund itself, both of them seem to overlook the millions of dollars still being funneled to the tribal sheikhs — money that could go a long way in help Yemen feed its own children and solve its own problems.

June 3, 2012 0 comments

Finance

Doors close across the border

by Paul Cochrane June 3, 2012

written by Paul Cochrane

Lebanese banks with operations in Syria are caught between the proverbial rock and a hard place. The uprising that kicked off last spring has forced banks into survival mode as the Syrian economy has weakened and profits have been slashed. Some banks have considered exiting the country, expansion plans have been put on hold, and all players have set aside millions of dollars in provisions.

While Lebanese bankers are used to operating in crisis mode, the international sanctions against Syria — by the United States, the European Union and the Arab League — have presented further operational challenges and the specter of reputational risk. Although Lebanese banks are not legally obligated to comply with the sanctions — and operations within Syria are essentially unaffected — the sector has pledged to do so. The US Treasury in particular has breathed heavily down the necks of Lebanese bankers to comply with the sanctions and for Lebanon to not be a conduit for Syrian cash.

Such internal and external pressure has impacted the bottom lines of the seven Lebanese banks with Syrian affiliates, both within the affiliate itself and at group headquarters in Beirut. For while Lebanese banks only entered Syria from 2004 onwards, the market was under-banked and ripe for growth, with the banks attracting $6.79 billion in aggregate assets by the end of 2010.

“Before the uprising the banking sector was on a fast track and expanding throughout Syria. Profits were good and it was a virgin market that needed everything,” said Samih Saadeh, managing director of Banque Bemo, which has a stake in Banque BEMO Saudi Fransi (BBSF) in Syria.

At the end of 2011, aggregate assets had dropped by 17.2 percent to $5.8 billion. As Saad Azhari, chairman and general manager of BLOM Bank put it, “Syria was the (sector's) second most important market after Lebanon.”
The pull of gravity
Indicative of the impact of the uprising on the banking sector is BLOM's affiliate, the Bank of Syria and Overseas, where loans to Syrians dropped 60 percent over the past year, from $650 million to $250 million. As Jihad Yazigi, editor of the financial publication, The Syria Report, remarked: “Nobody is investing, nobody is spending, and companies are closing. Whole areas are out of business entirely. I think gross domestic product will decline 10 to 12 percent this year.”

To cover bad loans and banks’ exposure, provisions are being hastily put aside (see table). “All Lebanese banks are taking profits as collective provisions,” said Alain Wanna, head of Group Financial Markets Division at Byblos Bank. “In Syria the decision was for all profits made in Syria to act as collective provisions, as we don’t know how long (the instability) will last.”

Financial Safety Valve
Last year, Bank Byblos Syria's profits slumped 26.8 percent to $3 million. Wanna conceded that internally, the bank's management discussed exiting Syria on several occasions, but in the end decided to reduce its exposure to the country.

Most affected by the Syrian crisis has been Bank Audi Syria (BAS), with profits down 83.20 percent to $2.1 million, attributed to problems with their portfolio (BAS' management turned down Executive’s interview requests). Less affected have been the newcomers, BLF's Al Sharq, First National Bank's Syria Gulf Bank, and Fransabank Syria, which saw profits, assets and customer deposits actually increase. BLF's general manager, Walid Raphael, put Al Sharq's 72.2 percent growth in assets, from $161 million in 2010 to $284 million in 2012, down to its recent start and a focus on commercial rather than retail banking, adding a new branch that opened in May. However, that has been the exception rather than the norm.

BBSF, the largest private bank in Syria with 40 branches, has put on hold plans to open three new branches in Damascus and one in the conflict-ridden city of Homs. “We are not looking for more business, but our strategy is to stay there and no branches have closed except in the hot areas,” said Saadeh. Profits at BBSF dropped 1.2 percent last year, to $11.8 million, but in the first quarter of 2012, with BEMO holding 22 percent of BBSF and profits down, the Beirut arm “got zero,” said Saadeh, which negatively impacted BEMO's net profits, dropping 53.57 percent on the first quarter of 2011, to just $1.45 million.

Causing further headaches for the sector was a requirement by the Central Bank of Syria (CBS) initiated prior to the uprising, for banks to increase capital from $100 million to $200 million. “There was a list of banks and a schedule for each to reach (in phases),” said Byblos’ Wanna. “Ours was in August last year. We tried to negotiate with the CBS to say the balance sheet was down but they insisted on the increase.” Currently Byblos Syria’s capitalization is $120 million for a balance sheet of $700 million. BBSF has also reached the first phase of the higher capital requirements.
Looking ahead
The banking sector has proved remarkably resilient in the face of the conflict. The limited run on the banks last spring by depositors was a “panic move,” said Saadeh, while deposits and withdrawals have “balanced out” since then. Bank share prices on the Damascus Stock Exchange (DSE) have also not plummeted as some might have expected, although they have been somewhat artificially salvaged by only 3 days of trading a week, and stock only being allowed to decline by just 1 percent a day and increase by 5 percent. Nonetheless, the DSE has slumped by 40 percent since the uprising broke out, according to figures released by the International Monetary Fund.

Cross Border Performance

Summing it up
“We’ve not seen any banks go under in Syria yet, and that is a positive thing. People haven't withdrawn all their money and I see it as a stabilizing factor,” said Ayham Kamel, a Syria expert at risk consultancy firm, Eurasia Group, who formerly worked in the Syrian financial sector.

Yet with the economy expected to contract further this year, more sanctions slapped on Syria by the EU in May — including on the CBS governor Adib Mayaleh — and operational costs higher due to the crisis amid a slump in business, the outlook for Lebanese banks in Syria could not be described as peachy.

“There is a risk for Lebanese banks at some point, as I'd expect them to hit the red zone and become unprofitable,” said Kamel. “To me, it is not a question of if but when, given the current trajectory in Syria. They are going to find it very hard to manage the books and have profitability towards the end of the year or in 2013.”

This article was published as part of a special report in Executive's July 2012 issue.

June 3, 2012 0 comments

Comment

Short on solutions in Bahrain

by Thomas Schellen June 3, 2012

written by Thomas Schellen

By hosting a Formula 1 race in 2012, the Bahraini government was angling for attention on two fronts, positive publicity and economic benefit. Instead, they received mainly critical attention driven by human rights activism and popular outrage. Much less attention came when the International Monetary Fund (IMF) published its annual economic assessment known to market watchers as the infamous ‘Article IV’ report. The report’s top line was that Bahrain suffered a slowdown of its economic growth of some 1.8 percent in 2011.

Looking back on the past ten years (assuming the IMF got its estimates right) GDP performance was the poorest in more than a decade, with a full four-percentage-points discrepancy from the past 10-year averages.

But on questions whether the slowdown was a symptom or side effect of change, a mere fallout of the protests, or a result of other global and regional pressures, the IMF was decidedly ambiguous. On the one hand, the IMF said that “disruptions caused by protest activity during the first half of 2011 have weighed on growth.” On the other, the “macroeconomic impact of the unrest has been cushioned by the largely unaffected oil and aluminum sectors.” It did not say which factor had a greater impact but it did point out that the oil sector contributes over 85 percent to Bahrain’s fiscal and external receipts.

And while it takes more than a few protests to stop the flow of oil, the kingdom is being stretched thin. The IMF also observed that Bahrain’s fiscal stance had been expansionary to the point that the break-even price of oil for sustaining state expenditures had reached $114, versus $80 in 2008, the highest break-even price for oil in the GCC back when prices were even higher than today.

Yet one need only dig a little bit into the files to find that the IMF knows well that protests have changed the economic situation significantly. In a press statement released at the end of a two-week IMF visit for consultations in December 2010, David Robinson, the IMF official leading the delegation at the time, said: “Buoyed by the rebound in oil prices, the continuing recovery in the global economy, and fiscal stimulus, growth is expected to accelerate from the 3 percent recorded in 2009 to 4 percent in 2010 and further to 5 percent in 2011.” We all know what happened one month later. But you wouldn't think the IMF did if you looked at their recommendations.

In the September 2009 Article IV, the IMF’s Executive Board “emphasized that the key challenges faced by authorities are to safeguard financial stability and mitigate the impact of the global downturn on the domestic economy.”

In the 2012 consultations, the IMF described the impact of the euro crisis on the Bahraini financial sector as “further deleveraging of the wholesale banking sector.” It also added that its “principal impact on the domestic economy has been the associated loss of employment in the financial sector, as contagion to the conventional retail banks appears to have been contained.” Nothing on addressing the problems causing unrest.

The debates in Bahrain over economic justice and social equity included, among many other things, the discussion of whether the 2012 Formula 1 event was so economically beneficial to the people that the demonstrations were ill-placed. The activists argue that the protests at the race were justified because of human rights violations and the need to attract global attention. Neither side could substantiate their argument with economic data, which would strengthen their claims of having the better way toward improving people’s lives.

Yet, if the government of Bahrain, or any stakeholder in the state or economy, were to look for an assessment of measures — such as the 15 percent increase of salaries for all public sector employees in August 2011 — that is conducive to lowering social inequality, they would not get answers from this year's assessment by the IMF’s Executive Board either. It concluded, “policies should be geared to restoring confidence in the economy, including by finding a lasting resolution to the social unrest, promoting growth, and securing a sustainable fiscal position.” We know, IMF, but how?

June 3, 2012 0 comments

Finance

Reputations at risk

by Paul Cochrane June 3, 2012

written by Paul Cochrane

Syria and Lebanon naturally have shared business interests, but in an era of American and European sanctions against the Syrian regime and individuals associated with it, Lebanese businesses have been forced to try and insulate themselves from risk.

The banks are no different. Byblos Bank, for instance, had the name of Rami Makhlouf — the billionaire Syrian businessman and cousin of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad currently under United States and European Union sanctions — removed from the public listing of shareholders in its Syrian affiliate, Bank Byblos Syria. The UK-based Bankers’ Almanac — effectively the shareholder listing of banks globally — “were asked on January 9 by [Byblos Bank’s] relationship manager to change the ownership details to their current listing,” a spokesperson wrote in an email to Executive.

Alain Wanna, head of Group Financial Markets Division at Byblos, confirmed that Makhlouf did hold a 4.9 percent stake and that the bank had recently tried to evict him as a shareholder, but Makhlouf had refused.

Morthada al-Dandashi, who owns 2.85 percent of Bank Byblos Syria, may be a further reputational risk for Byblos. Although not sanctioned, a leaked 2008 US Embassy cable reported that Dandashi managed “Makhlouf’s ‘parallel’ financial activities in Syria,” and Makhlouf “paid Dandashi $2 million ‘ante’ to become a partner in Cham Holding, and deposited significant sums under Dandashi’s name in the Damascus branch of the Lebanese Byblos Bank.”

It appears though, that Byblos is in a bind. “Shareholders have the right to freely buy and sell shares as long as they own no more than 5 percent of the Bank’s total shares,” said Wanna. “Thus, Byblos Bank Syria has no legal authority to approve or disapprove the entry or exit of any shareholder.”

He added that while Makhlouf had been a founding shareholder in Bank Byblos Syria, he had reduced his stake and after three years Byblos was not required to list him. “Makhlouf is not represented on the board of directors, he has no executive function, is a passive shareholder and may be in other banks,” said Wanna.

Banque Libano-Française (BLF) is in a similar predicament with its Syria arm, Bank Al Sharq, which, like Bank Byblos Syria, trades on the Damascus Securities Exchange. Among its shareholders is Ahmad Nabil Mohammad Rafic al-Kuzbari, who was placed under US sanctions last year for his position as the former chairman of Cham Holding, which Makhlouf founded.

“Like many other Syrian investors, Kuzbari holds shares in Bank Al Sharq that represent 1.5 percent of the capital of the bank,” wrote a BLF spokesperson in an email. “He is not a member of the board of directors, neither [is he] represented on the board of directors nor is he involved in management. Consequently, we are confident that his shareholding does not represent a reputational risk for the bank.”

Under US law Americans are banned from financial dealings with sanctioned individuals or entities. Interestingly, the International Finance Corporation (IFC), the private investment arm of the World Bank — itself 51 percent funded by the US Treasury — also owns a stake in Byblos Bank, at 8.36 percent.

When asked about being jointly invested with a sanctioned individual, an IFC spokesperson wrote in an email that: “Our investment is at Byblos-Lebanon level, while Makhlouf is a minority shareholder in Byblos-Syria, which is a different entity registered under the Syrian banking law and subject to supervision by the Syrian Central Bank.”

This separation is dubious, given that Lebanese banks and their Syrian arms are consolidated and that the group gains from the profits made in Syria.

The US Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), responsible for enforcing sanctions, has been “repeatedly engaged with the Lebanese banking sector to stress the importance that it not become an outlet for the Syrian regime and its proxies to evade sanctions,” in the words of a spokesman.

Lebanese banks categorically deny Syrian money is moving through Lebanon, and while anecdotal evidence suggests banks are generally denying new accounts to Syrians, financial sources point out that this can, and is being, circumvented by Lebanese individuals acting on behalf of Syrians. Indeed, the leaked 2008 US embassy cable noted Makhlouf has accounts in Lebanon under different names.

Also, a US Treasury official visiting Beirut stated banks have to refuse banking relationships not only with OFAC sanctioned individuals, but also family members and affiliates.

“How can a Lebanese bank know those surrounding an OFAC-listed individual to avoid them? It is really weird and beyond banks’ capacity,” said Paul Morcos, founder of the Justicia law firm that provides legal consulting for the banking sector. “Legally, it is a grey area, and it is as if bankers are no longer responsible for best efforts but have to achieve the best results.

This article was published as part of a special report in Executive's June 2012 issue

June 3, 2012 1 comment

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Rebuilding the future

by Jihad Yazigi June 3, 2012

written by Jihad Yazigi

Syria’s political landscape has dramatically changed in the last fifteen months and so has its business environment.

A few weeks before the uprisings began in March 2011, the Syrian government had announced its five-year economic plan running from 2011 to 2015, which was supposed to serve as a guide and a broad strategic framework for economic policy in the coming years.

The plan confirmed the continued liberalization of the economy, the gradual cancellation of all forms of subsidies on energy products and a return to focusing on manufacturing and other “productive” sectors.

For many in Syria’s business community, which had already benefited from a step-by-step transformation of the economy into a market-led system since the early 2000s, the prospects looked promising. Syrian expatriates returned home to benefit from the new employment and investment opportunities. Regional investors were banking on the opening of a new frontier market, while locally-based investors saw their decades of patience bearing fruit at last.

Few could have imagined what the following months would entail. When a few children were detained in Daraa, their families went out to demonstrate to request their freedom and everything changed forever in Syria.

In the following months, the economy would contract significantly and security would deteriorate, causing many businesses to close and lay off staff, expatriates to return to their place of exile, investors and tourists to flee.

The question now is on how, when and with what means Syria is to be rebuilt. For many, it’s probably already too late. The shaky reconstruction of neighboring countries — such as Iraq or Lebanon — has convinced them that it will take far too long for Syria to return to normalcy or for potential investments to start generating returns to justify the risk of staying. They have left the country — or are planning to do so during the summer — and will probably not return anytime soon, leaving that possibility to their children. Investors in this category generally have most of their capital safe in bank accounts abroad and have limited fixed investment in Syria proper, while executives in top management positions will easily find opportunities in the Gulf and possibly further afield, in the United States or Canada.

For others, leaving is simply too costly and/or complicated. Investors that have put at stake much of their capital or savings in a project, bankers that have deployed across the country at the cost of millions of dollars, expatriates that have cut off almost all links with their previous host country, or people simply too attached emotionally to Syria, will try to stick it out as long as physically possible. Others will relocate to nearby places, such as Lebanon or Dubai, from where they will be able to continue to manage their investments, or temporarily find a new job in the hope that the conflict will end soon.

It is this category of investors and highly qualified individuals that Syria will need to rely on when reconstruction begins. The size of their involvement and experience in the country, as well as their commitment to it, will be an invaluable asset when the time for rebuilding arrives.

Much, however, remains to be clarified before this takes place. Not only must the political crisis gripping the country end, the economic policies of the future must also take into account the calls for change that are coming from large segments of the population. In other words, investors must understand the underlying causes of the current uprising if they want to contribute positively to the new Syria. Syrians taking to the street are, in the words of a Syrian intellectual, from “the working world.” These are the people who have suffered in the last two decades from the rising income disparity, decreasing state investment in infrastructure and social services, and unregulated liberalization that has shed thousands of jobs.

While those with financial capital and wherewithal need to continue to lobby for their interests as investors and champion the cause of good governance and of a sound legal and business environment, they must also take into account the fact that the state must continue to have a role in the economy — albeit redefined — and that solidarity between the haves and the have-nots needs to prevail. This will be a requirement for Syria to change for good and for the stability they cherish to hold, whenever it may return.

June 3, 2012 0 comments

Finance

The long arm of Uncle Sam

by Paul Cochrane June 3, 2012

written by Paul Cochrane

With the United States’ debt having surpassed 100 percent of gross domestic product, at over $15.7 trillion, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has launched an aggressive worldwide campaign to try and curb the deficit by bringing in tax revenues from US citizens abroad.

While the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA) is not to go fully into effect until 2014, it has already caused waves in the international banking community and within Lebanon, as it will require all banks to essentially act as agents of the IRS by listing US citizens holding accounts. In Washington DC, a new building is under construction that will be devoted to handling FATCA files alone, given there are an estimated 117 million Americans abroad — including Green Card holders — and that the IRS assumes it may be able to repatriate upwards of $100 billion in taxes.

“The US is not looking at Lebanon as a place to hide money but rather at Singapore, Lichtenstein and Switzerland,” said Fadi Osseiran, general manager of BlomInvest Bank, in reference to the world’s major tax havens. “We are involved for a stupid reason, as some Lebanese have dual nationality.”

Anecdotal evidence suggests there are an estimated 22,000 people in Lebanon holding US citizenship, although the US embassy declined to confirm this. While FATCA concerns earnings above $100,000, banks will nonetheless have to require customers to declare whether they have a US passport, Green Card or were born in the US. As Lebanon has banking secrecy, a client can refuse to disclose such information. In such a case, the bank will refer the individual to the Central Bank’s Special Investigation Commission.

The risk for banks is that if they do not comply with FATCA they could be designated as non-compliant and international banks, especially in the US and Europe, will refuse to deal with them. To make sure US citizens do not try to evade the upcoming act by transferring funds or changing account holdership to non-US citizens, the IRS can go back several years through accounts. And if someone gives up their citizenship, they will have to pay taxes for five more years.

“The IRS is calculating this kind of evasion, although it is worth little compared to the revenues they’ll have,” said Paul Morcos, founder of the Justicia law firm that provides legal consulting for the banking sector. However, all is not yet clear on full disclosure. “This law will lead to confusion and gray areas, like for example cases where we have a joint account between a Lebanese father and a son who has been naturalized in the US. Does a bank have to report on this or not?” added Morcos.

Who will report to the IRS is a further issue; whether it will be Banque du Liban (BDL), Lebanon’s central bank, or the individual banks is currently being hammered out in a bilateral agreement between Lebanon and the US. “The BDL could be the agent for all Lebanese banks but I don’t know if the IRS will agree,” said Samih Saadeh, managing director of Banque BEMO.

Bankers deny that FATCA will be a nail in the coffin of banking secrecy as it only concerns US citizens, but it could be the beginning of the end of such a service if there are further amendments to FATCA and if Europe and other jurisdictions follow the US lead with an act of their own, similar to how the US’ recent emphasis on enforcing the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act was repeated by the British government with its Bribery Act.

“From my point of view, banking secrecy is less and less important,” said Osseiran. “For me, we don’t need banking secrecy. The only reason to do it is a culture of privacy for customers, but to avoid taxes or launder money, it shouldn’t be the case.”

What is curious about FATCA is that tax evasion is not illegal in Lebanon, meaning that the US as a foreign fiscal authority has gained influence over the country.

“It is extra-territorial, being a law implemented beyond frontiers. We are witnessing the supra-national effect of the law, starting with the US Patriot Act and now FATCA, and I’m afraid of FATCA II and FATCA III,” said Morcos. “I wonder if FATCA II or III will be more aggressive or much clearer, but I think it will be more extensive and will bring about new practices in the finance and banking industry to enhance monitoring and reporting through foreign channels.”

This article was published as part of a special report in Executive's June 2012 issue

June 3, 2012 0 comments

Real estate

History under siege

by Jeff Neumann May 6, 2012

written by Jeff Neumann

In the arena of Lebanese architectural heritage some combatants are better at the game than others. Today activists, archaeologists, politicians and real estate developers have entered the stadium to battle it out over what is probably Lebanon’s oldest sporting venue. At issue is the fate of a Roman-era hippodrome downtown in Wadi Abu Jamil. Unchecked construction and the rush to build mega-sized steel and glass towers have taken a toll on historical sites in the city for nearly 20 years. The hippodrome site is privately owned and most of it has already been developed and built over, but a remaining plot of land in the middle of the former track has become the focus of many interests, all angling for different outcomes.

Some two thousand years ago the hippodrome hosted horse and chariot races. Today, it sits neglected in the heart of Beirut’s rebuilt downtown of exclusive villas and upscale shopping areas. Overgrown with tall grass and littered with garbage from nearby construction sites, it is almost impossible to imagine the hippodrome’s former glory. Assuming that you can get past the heavy security to even approach the site, the hippodrome today is virtually indistinguishable from any other neglected ancient ruins. But in spite of its current state, it has great significance: Lebanon is home to two out of five Roman hippodromes in the Levant — one in Tyre, and its twin in Beirut. The hippodromes of Lebanon are unique because they are the only ones in the world adjacent to Roman baths.

The great irony of the situation is that some of the loudest critics are largely responsible for the current state of the hippodrome. In March, former culture ministers Tamam Salam and Tarek Mitri held a press conference denouncing plans to build over the open remainder of the site. But the sale and development of various plots at the site in the preceding years were approved by both of them. Solidere, the private company in charge of reconstructing Beirut Central District, justified this earlier development using in-house archaeology experts. Development started by moving Roman-era baths to a different location nearby [see map], and progressed to the point where former Prime Minister Saad Hariri built a large private residence and garden squarely on top of the hippodrome.

So tight is the security at the site that current Culture Minster Gaby Layoun and his top advisor, Michel de Chadarevian, were not allowed past the rusty metal walls that have long encircled the area. “I went there with the minister last month and they would not allow us to even have a look,” de Chadarevian says. “We asked Saad Hariri’s office to let us look around, but we were denied access. We are not even allowed in to remove the grass.” Executive was directed by Hariri’s office to Future Movement Members of Parliament Salam and Nabil de Freige for comment, but neither was available for comment.

Build over, preserve under?

After signing off on development of much of the site, in 2009, Salam, then culture minister, placed the hippodrome on a list of protected historical sites, but the damage was already done. An area surrounding the reconstructed Maghen Abraham Synagogue was all that was left and today represents the plot of contention.

According to the culture ministry, the owner of the undeveloped plot, Nazem Ali Ahmed, consulted Italian architects to find a solution that would generate revenue, while also meet the requirement of having the ruins available for public viewing. His solution, while still in the early stages of development, is to construct a roofed, open air museum. The ruins would be viewable underneath thick glass flooring from walkways and landings. A second level would be reserved for retail and commercial space. Its height will be limited by the current regulations laid out by Solidere, the ministry says. Solidere did not respond to repeated requests for comment.

De Chadarevian says that the current plan to preserve the hippodrome is based on similar efforts in Greece to enclose ruins under glass and install modern walkways and viewing areas. He explains to Executive that the ministry is “happy to have an investor interested in creating and building a museum for free. We will not pay anything. He will do everything and we will all benefit.” (There have been unconfirmed media reports of a $30 million Kuwaiti-funded hotel and museum on the plot.)

This plan set off a public outcry from preservationists and archaeologists. Josef Haddad, founding member and current secretary of the Association for the Protection of the Lebanese Heritage, disputes the notion that a glass enclosure would preserve the ruins. “The glass will trap the heat and humidity and accelerate the deterioration of the site,” he says, pointing to the fact that Rome’s ancient ruins are largely out in the open and exposed to the elements. Under the current plan, portions of the ruins downtown, excluding the fragile section that was once spectator seating, will be removed during construction and replaced when the building is complete.

“We are surprised that out of all ministries, the Ministry of Culture is working the hardest to destroy the hippodrome,” Haddad says. “It belongs to the Lebanese people, not private landowners.” Haddad says that he and the Association for the Protection of the Lebanese Heritage “are doing our best to halt the process,” but adds that a real solution can only come from Solidere, Nazem Ali Ahmed, and the culture ministry.

Jeanine Abdul Massih, professor of archaeology at the Lebanese University, does not believe that constructing what would essentially be a shopping mall over the ruins would do the site justice. “If you want to really preserve it you need to take the whole thing, not just a part of it,” she says. “If you only preserve part of it, what do you really have left of this beautiful stadium? You cannot preserve just a part of a stadium to give an idea of what it was like.” Abdul Massih suggests protecting and restoring the entire site, and adding it to a Beirut historical walking trail. “We need to connect the people with the history,” she says.

Little room left to fight

“We are preserving this place — if the ministry could destroy all that Solidere has done in order to regain all of our antiquities, we would be very happy,” de Chadarevian says, striking a somewhat populist tone. In preservationist circles that might normally be a welcome statement, but he does not hide his contempt for activists seeking to reach a new deal for the hippodrome. “All the campaigns on Facebook, this is rubbish,” he says. “I asked them, ‘do you know what this is? Have you ever gone there and had a look around?’ No, they have not. So why are they even talking about this?”

According to de Chadarevian, the root of the problem is the location of Hariri’s home, and his former cabinet members using their influence to steer development deals. “The only problem is that new construction will block the view from Saad Hariri’s residence,” he claims, and points blame squarely at the two previous culture ministers: “[Tarek Mitri and Tamam Salam] agreed to destroy what remained of the hippodrome years ago.” Several members of Hariri’s Future Movement have rejected this claim.

Professor Abdul Massih suggests a land swap between the Beirut municipality and Nazem Ali Ahmed could resolve the dispute and come as close to satisfying all parties as possible. But the prime location of the hippodrome means this is a highly unlikely outcome. The current construction plan for the hippodrome site has top-down blessing, from Prime Minister Najib Mikati to the Ministry of Culture, as well as Solidere and the Beirut Municipality. Now, the municipality’s final approval of the building plans is all that stands in the way of commercial development at the hippodrome site. [No one from the Beirut Municipality was available for comment].

For those seeking full preservation, the overall outlook is grim. It is also nothing new, says Abdul Massih. “So many other beautiful things here have been destroyed, so nothing would surprise me,” she says. “But I will fight to preserve it.”

May 6, 2012 0 comments

Real estate

For your information

by Executive Editors May 6, 2012

written by Executive Editors

Real estate market “flat”

The overall number of real estate transactions in Lebanon dropped 4.29 percent between January and February. But while the number of overall transactions was down — 5,156 in February from 5,387 in January — the nationwide average value per transaction rose 6.66 percent over the same time period. The total number of real estate transactions fell by 12.02 percent last year to 82,984, compared with 94,320 transactions in 2010. Over the same year, the value of real estate transactions fell to $8.84 billion, compared to $9.48 billion in 2010. According to a Bank Audi report, Lebanon’s property market has shown “a somewhat flat performance” during the first two months of the year. According to year-on-year data, the total number of transactions fell 0.82 percent in the first two months of 2012, while the total value of transactions dropped $40 million to $1.16 billion. Using figures provided by the Order of Engineers, the report also notes a 3.5 percent overall rise in the number of construction permits issued across Lebanon this year. The data shows a 9.1 percent drop in new permits in Beirut and a 19.2 percent rise in the Mount Lebanon region.

Rent-to-own law passes cabinet

The Council of Ministers, Lebanon’s cabinet, approved a new draft rental law in late April, which would allow low-income families to buy property by making yearly or monthly payments. The Cabinet also agreed to amend a controversial rental law that, if passed, would allow landlords to raise rents by 20 to 80 percent over a four-year period [see page 30]. The Association of the Owners of Rental Buildings issued a statement the following day praising the passage of draft law 767, but also asked the Administration and Justice Committee of Parliament to “enter a new stage that ends the accumulated injustice against old landowners on the issue of rents” by quickly passing the law on to the General Assembly, and to establish a government fund to assist low-income renters who intend to buy residential property.

MENA construction drops

The value of construction projects awarded in the first quarter of 2012 across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) has fallen more than 30 percent from the first quarter in 2011, according to Citi Research and Analysis. Approximately $18.5 billion in projects have been awarded between January 1 and March 31 in the MENA region, the research unit of Citigroup Global Markets said in its MENA Construction Project Tracker, a monitor that tracks projects from announcement to completion. The comparison figure for the first quarter of 2011 was $27 billion. The cumulative value of projects awarded in March was $4.3 billion, the lowest figure for the year-to-date according to Citi Research. With 76 projects awarded in the year so far, the number of projects was similar to the same period in 2011. “Project awards are generally lumpy,” the report says, while forecasting spending to show “ongoing strength” because of MENA governments’ “desire to avoid unrest” in the wake of the Arab Spring. Kuwait accounted for 38 percent of project values in the first quarter, followed by Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates with 16 percent, or $2.9 billion, each. However, the report noted that Kuwait’s leading share is derived mainly from one single $5.9 billion aviation-related project.

Needing more malls

An apparent dearth of retail space in new residential areas across Abu Dhabi is dragging down property prices, according to a report by UK-based property consultancy Cluttons. “A shortage of retail facilities at many of the new residential developments needs to be addressed, the lack of which is seen as a culprit to falling values,” the report said, before the opening of Cityscape Abu Dhabi last month. According to Cluttons, “Apartment values have been affected the most, with Al Reem and Marina Square apartments falling 7.4 percent and 7.3 percent, respectively, on third-quarter 2011 prices.” Abu Dhabi-based real estate consultancy CBRE also released data that shows residential apartment rents in the city are down 18 percent in the first quarter over the same period last year, and are down 3.5 percent since last quarter. Also at Cityscape, the National Bank of Abu Dhabi (NBAD) announced that its new wholly-owned subsidiary, NBAD Investment Management (DIFC) Limited, had been approved to start a real estate investment fund focused on “income-generating properties.” Zain Abdullah, senior executive officer of NBAD’s new unit said in a statement, “We believe that this fund will offer regional and international institutional investors a diversified avenue to access the UAE real estate market within a strong regulatory environment.”

UAE banks boost credit, offer 100% mortgages

As the United Arab Emirates’ property market continues to struggle, Emirates Islamic Bank announced in mid-April that it would offer 100 percent mortgages to UAE nationals. “For most people, owning a home is one of the biggest lifetime investments and provides an opportunity to build equity in real estate,” said general manager Faisal Aqil, speaking to The National in April. The new loans will be available for first time buyers or for buying off-plan, and can be approved within 24 hours. Variable rates will start at 4.99 percent. Home prices throughout the UAE have been trending downward in recent years, with Dubai as the exception, posting a meager 0.5 percent rise in home prices in 2011. In a statement to reporters, Abu Dhabi’s Aldar Properties announced a $1.09 billion credit facility from the 70 percent state-owned National Bank of Abu Dhabi. In addition to helping the developer manage its liquidity, the deal will be a three-year revolving facility to cover everyday operating costs.

Corruption ties and net loss for Egypt’s SODIC

Egypt’s third-largest property developer, Six of October Development and Investment (SODIC), posted a net loss of $32 million for 2011, after registering a profit of $22.4 million one year prior. In a statement, the company offered a stronger assessment of its operations, saying, “During a tough 2011 SODIC preserved the strength of its balance sheet, improved cash collection delinquency rates, increased receivables and maintained healthy levels of cash on hand.” Prior to the report, SODIC issued a statement about its former chairman Magdi Rasekh, who in April of last year was sentenced to five years in prison and fined $388 million for his role in an illegal land deal under the Mubarak regime, saying the ruling would not affect “the firm’s assets or the assets of the rest of its shareholders.” Also, last month, the Egyptian government announced a plan to sell nearly 8,000 plots of city land and certificates of deposit to expatriates living in the Gulf. By appealing to wealthy Egyptians living outside the country, the government hopes to raise some $4.5 billion with the new plan, which would also allow Egyptian joint stock companies to purchase land with a guaranteed 4 percent, one-year return on the investment. Additionally, any financing for the properties must be done through financial institutions based outside of Egypt.

Saudi prince seeks big tower loan

Kingdom Holding Co, Saudi Prince Alwaleed bin Talal’s investment company, is seeking a loan worth as much as $533 million by this summer to help pay for the construction of the Kingdom Tower in Jeddah, according to a Bloomberg report last month. According to plans, the Kingdom Tower will be more than 1,000 meters tall, with an estimated finishing cost of $1.2 billion. The building plans, drafted by Saudi Binladen Group — a 16.63 percent stakeholder in the project’s owner, Jeddah Economic Co — were approved by municipal authorities in February, and the project is expected to take over five years to complete after construction starts. When finished, the Kingdom Tower will become the world’s tallest building, surpassing Dubai’s Burj Khalifa, which stands at 829.84 meters.

May 6, 2012 0 comments

Banking & Finance

Financial quotes of the month

by Executive Editors May 6, 2012

written by Executive Editors

“How can we grant bills of health from these [government run] labs when rats are running everywhere?”

Mohammad Choucair, head of the Beirut Chambers of Commerce

“The country will manage well, even if we don’t sell a single barrel of oil for two or three years.”

“In Silicon Valley, there’s still too much money chasing too few ideas. If your idea is brilliant and your timing is right, you can become a multimillionaire overnight.”

Paul Saffo, Silicon Valley forecaster on Facebook’s $1 billion acquisition of popular photo application Instagram

“Spain is not going to be rescued; it’s not possible to rescue Spain, there’s no intention to, it’s not necessary and therefore it’s not going to be rescued.”

“God willing, we will take the loan before a president for Egypt is in place.”

Mumtaz al-Saeed, Egyptian Finance Minister, on the proposed $3.2 billion International Monetary Fund loan

“Tonight, Senate Republicans voted to block the Buffett Rule, choosing once again to protect tax breaks for the wealthiest few Americans at the expense of the middle class.”

Barack Obama, President of the United States

“I feel great — as if I were in my normal excellent health. And my energy level is 100 percent.”

Warren Buffett, billionaire investor legend when diagnosed with prostate cancer

“Investments in tourism are extremely good despite the fall in the number of tourists entering Lebanon through Syria.”

Fadi Abboud, Lebanon’s Minister of Tourism

“At times, elections can lead to uncertainties and, for investors, to a changing configuration of opportunities and risks. We are entering such a phase in Europe.”

Mohamed el-Erian, CEO of Pimco, the world’s largest bond investor, on the upcoming French, Greek and Irish elections in Europe

“If you wake up the morning after and still feel like the gazelle is running from the lion, or the lion is running for the gazelle, then everything is ok.”

Fadi Ghandour, after resigning as CEO of Aramex, the delivery and logistics company he founded and managed for 30 years

May 6, 2012 0 comments

Banking & Finance

The expert opinion MENA stock tips

by Executive Editors May 6, 2012

written by Executive Editors

Black is still the dominant color on the market screens this year as equities continue their upward drift. In the midst of first-quarter corporate earnings season, which so far have proved resilient, investors are increasingly concerned that a correction is on the horizon as macroeconomics headlines remain frail. For this month, Executive speaks to Elie Khoury, cheif executive of Berytus Capital and Nour Eldeen al-Hammoury, chief market strategist at Amana Capital for their investment recommendations.

Elie Khoury

Bullish or bearish?

Khoury is conservatively bullish on the markets in the United States and slightly bearish on Europe, as the US enjoys much better fundamentals than Europe. He believes equities will continue their upward trend because, “With central banks from the US to Europe to England pumping all this money, they are inflating everything which is why equity markets performed so well since beginning 2012 until today.” He adds that if the US unemployment and housing picture improves, he will be buying equities more aggressively.

Main concerns?

Khoury’s greatest concern is banks’ exposure to derivatives. “At $188 trillion, this exposure is 14 times the size of the United States’ [gross domestic product]” he warns. In the short term, Khoury is mainly concerned with the economic issues in Spain and Italy; he adds that issues in Greece might resurface in May during the upcoming elections.

Favorite asset classes?

Khoury favors equities. “The summer time will provide us with many opportunities. Markets will correct and investors will get the opportunity to invest,” he says. Khoury’s top sectors to invest in are technology and consumer products.

Specific names?

He likes Pfizer in the pharmaceutical sector, Kraft in the non-cyclical consumer goods sector and Microsoft, Intel and Qualcomm in the technology sector. Khoury also highlights Costco, Home Depot, McDonalds and Starbucks as stocks he would be buying on the basis of their relative weakness to benefit from lower entry points.

MENA equities?

While deterred by the unrest in the region he notes that it is “putting a floor on the price of crude which is good for Saudi Arabia so it is the only country in the region we could be positive on.”

Nour Eldeen al-Hammoury

Bullish or bearish?

Hammoury warns against buying aggressively due to the very slow economic growth and the fact that the United Kingdom is back in recession. “The crisis is not over yet and it needs a minimum of 10 years to solve,” says Hammoury. He does not expect the recent rally in equities to continue and he is awaiting a correction in the markets, as “the waves of the tsunami are still rolling.”

Main concerns?

Hammoury’s largest concern is the oil market, as a “higher oil prices are not good for the global economy.” He is also concerned with the sovereign debt crisis in Europe and the lack of transparency from politicians. “We saw an ‘Arab Spring’, we could see something of the sort in Europe as well,” warns Hammoury.

Favorite asset class?

He would stick to gold and recommends buying between $1610 and $1625 per ounce. Within equities, Hammoury would remain in defensive sectors (such as utilities, consumer goods and telecoms).

MENA equities?

He is not interested in investing in the region at this point, but he does highlight that the abundant cash reserves in MENA governments’ coffers provide support in these turbulent times and “the continuous high prices of oil that will carry on stimulating reserve cash for governments.”

Specific buy?

His top stock globally is Apple. He sees it going to $700 or to $800.

Any name in the MENA region?

He likes Dubai-based Tabreed, also known as the National Central Cooling Company.

May 6, 2012 0 comments