Why MENA? Why Africa?

The dynamic Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region offers unique investment opportunities for those with the local insight to identify them and the world-class expertise to capitalize on them.

With a population of 315 million, the MENA region is the third-largest in the world: twice as large as Japan and more than four times larger than the United Kingdom. More than 60% of the population is under the age of 30, further supporting the region’s attractive demographics.

The region’s large population offers the opportunity to create economies of scale. With an aggregate GDP of US$ 1.417 trillion in 2007, the region constitutes the world’s tenth-largest economic bloc. It is also among the most rapidly developing, recording average economic growth of 5.8% in the five years to 2007 compared with a global average of 3.8%. Going forward, analysts expect regional growth to out-strip the international average through 2012.

Against this background, reform-minded governments are liberalizing and opening key industries to private participation.

This unique combination of growth and liberalization is creating a range of attractive investment opportunities not available in more mature economies.

Meanwhile, Citadel Capital believes there are tremendous opportunities in Africa. Traditionally, investment in the continent have focused on oil and gas, minerals and other resource-extraction plays. While the firm has an interest in similar opportunities, Citadel Capital is also pursuing investments in infrastructure and other non-traditional sectors that will grow in lock-step with resource extraction.