Kevin H.

UAE's Futtaim to open Carrefour branch in Iraq By NICOLAS PARASIE | REUTERS Published: Feb 18, 2010 10:25 PM Updated: Feb 18, 2010 10:25 PM DUBAI: The UAE company with the license to operate the Carrefour SA franchise in the Middle East is looking to open its first store in Iraq as part of a wider expansion plan in the region. Majid Al-Futtaim (MAF) Retail manages a joint venture in the Middle East with France's Carrefour, the world's second-biggest retailer by revenue after Wal-Mart Stores Inc. In the past three years, the joint venture opened 14 hypermarkets, bringing its total to 37 in the Middle East. MAF is now turning to countries such as Iraq, Yemen, Oman, Egypt, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Libya and Lebanon to open new Carrefour stores in a bid to tap growing consumer appetite in the Middle East and North Africa. MAF will open the store in Arbil, one of Iraq's largest cities, probably toward the end of 2010. "The north of Iraq is a very promising market and a stabile area," Muhammad Naeem, an executive at MAF Retail, told Reuters on the sidelines of a treasurers conference. "We studied the economy, the infrastructure, we see no uncertainty and no security issues in that part of the country," he said. Northern, predominantly Kurdish, Iraq has emerged relatively unscathed from the violence that affected the rest of the country. MAF, owned by billionaire UAE businessman Majid Al-Futtaim, traditionally enters markets with Carrefour as anchor tenant of its malls and recently opened a local version, under a different brand name, of the hypermarket in Iran's capital Tehran. MAF is part of Majid Al-Futtaim group, the company known for building an indoor ski slope in Dubai. MAF has also announced plans to develop projects in Syria, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Yemen and Oman. The retailer is considering adding Libya to that list in the following years, Naeem said. "If the political situation improves in Libya, maybe earlier," he said.

i don't know if this helps or not first post no bash plz Tue. 16 Feb Iraq article 7 meeting UNSC 10: 00 am SCC Security Council Meeting: The situation in Iraq LATEST AVERAGE ALERT FOR TUESDAY, 16 FEBRUARY 2010 10: 00 am SCC Security Council Meeting: The situation in Iraq Report of the Secretary-General pursuant to paragraph 6 of resolution 1883 (2009) (S/2010/76) Following the above event SCCR Security Council Consultations: -The situation in Iraq -Other matters _____________________ 11: 00 am Dag. Ham. Auditorium Press Conference: Mr. Robert Mahoney, Deputy Director of Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ); Mr. Bob Dietz, Asia Programme Coordinator, CPJ; and Mr. Maziar Bahari, Newsweek Correspondent, to release the CPJ annual report. [The press conference is sponsored by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)] (A PHOTO, A TV, INTERNATIONAL MEDIA WEBCAST) 12: 00 nn Dag. Ham. Auditorium Noon Briefing: by the Spokesman for the Secretary-General Guest: * Mr. Ad Melkert, Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Iraq. The press conference will be webcast live at www.un.org/webcast; archived at http://www.un.org/webcast/pressbriefing.html Related Link: http://www.un.org/News/ossg/conf.htm

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