Malta Enterprise will be re-opening its office in Tripoli tomorrow, after it had suspended operations due to the Libyan conflict, to provide on-the-ground assistance and deliver the services it used to prior to the conflict
The re-opening of the office follows intensive work in the past months by Malta Enterprise to assist those companies that have been hit by the situation in Libya to the extent of drastically downsizing or curtailing their operations there and in certain cases also in Malta.
The Corporation notes with pleasure the resumption of certain operations, albeit to varying extents, of Maltese companies based in or providing services to the Libyan people. The Libya Commercial Office will be providing a central point of contact for all Malta Enterprise services and support for businessmen and entrepreneurs seeking or willing to establish or further commercial links with Libya.
Office Coordinator Salem Megdami, who has been employed with Malta Enterprise since 2000, will operate the Libya Commercial Office and will be supported by the whole team at Malta Head Office.
Enterprises in both countries – whether Maltese companies interested in doing business with Libya or vice-versa – will as such have a focal point that could also provide them with a range of practical services designed to facilitate business.
These include, among others, assistance in the establishment of contacts, provision of business advisory and market research services, identification and transmission of business opportunities a tender information service.
Malta Enterprise also runs a Malta-Libya Business Club that publishes a bi-monthly Libya Business Newsletter. It shall eventually facilitate the organisation of business delegations and participation in trade fairs in Libya, which are already being planned. Enrolment in the Malta-Libya Business Club is recommended for all those who wish to keep themselves updated on developments and also have access to documentation in English about procurement and procedures for doing business in Libya.
The option of opening up an office in Benghazi was considered but as the conflict is nearing its conclusion it is increasingly becoming clear that Tripoli will be the major commercial centre in the country. The office is in the same location at the ex-Al Fateh Tower − now renamed Tripoli − in order to be close to the Libyan business community.
Office will cover all of Libya
In reference to press reports earlier this week, Malta Enterprise stressed that the Tripoli office will be assisting enterprises in all Libya and not just those in the capital city, as had been falsely alleged.
“As any enterprise that has made use of its wide-ranging assistance can testify, this has been the case ever since the Commercial Office opened in 2000 and will be the case once again when the office re-opens on Monday,” Malta Enterprise said in a statement.
“Indeed, this is also the case with Malta Enterprise’s other commercial offices overseas where, despite being based in one particular location – which would correspond to the major commercial hub in the country – the Corporation’s personnel would cover the entire market and not just their immediate surroundings.”
Malta Enterprise also rebutted certain anonymous claims attributed to an unspecified businessman, alleging that the Corporation is not in synch with the Ministry for Foreign Affairs.
“This could not be further from the truth, given that the Corporation has been in constant discussions and co-ordination with all government ministries, departments and entities involved – including the Ministry of Foreign Affairs – ever since the conflict broke out in order to assist enterprises that had commercial links with Libya,” Malta Enterprise said.
A formal agreement reached between Malta Enterprise and the same Ministry of Foreign Affairs to share resources at Malta’s representations abroad, such as High Commissions, Embassies and Consulates – over and above the work that Malta’s representatives themselves already do – provides further evidence that there is good cooperation between the two to promote Malta as an ideal hub for trade and investment.
Since the beginning of the conflict, Malta Enterprise says it has assisted around 70 Maltese companies that had a commercial interest or presence in Libya with almost 200 separate issues, ranging from speeding up payments owed to the companies by government departments or entities, to deferring payments they owed themselves such as tax, VAT and social security.
Companies were also provided with Malta Enterprise’s businesses advisory services or helped to find new markets when required.
The office will also retain the same contact details, namely telephone number: (+218) 21 335 1462 and e-mail address: [email protected].