Future for Palestine Anton F. Börner President Federation of German Wholesale, Foreign Trade and Services.

Future for Palestine

Anton F. BörnerPresidentFederation of German Wholesale, Foreign Trade and Services

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Who is the BGA?

Ministries

National government Administration

BGA

26 regional employers´ associations 43 branch associations

Trading companies

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Wholesale and foreign trade sector in Germany

BGA represents

• 120.000 companies

• 1.200.000 employees

• 850 billon € turnover only within Germany

• Exports: 960 billion €

• Imports: 806 billion €

The majority of our members are medium-sized enterprises

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Major objectives of the BGA

• Political consulting / lobbying for free trade

• Informing our members about current issues in all fields of trade e.g. finance, regulatory reforms, tax, customs, social policy or environmental requirements

• Organising events, workshops, seminars and delegations to inform about new developments and to foster business ties

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Where we are now:Major world trade flows

Source: WTO, International Trade Statistics

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Participation in Goods & ServicesRegional Trade Agreements

Source: WTO

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Free Trade Agreements and International Cooperation Treaties

EC - Palestinian Authority:

Austria; Belgium; Bulgaria; Cyprus; Czech Republic; Denmark; Estonia; Finland; France; Germany; Greece; Hungary; Ireland; Italy; Latvia; Lithuania; Luxembourg; Malta; Netherlands; Poland; Portugal; Romania; Slovak Republic; Slovenia; Spain; Sweden; United Kingdom; The Palestinian Authority of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip

EFTA - Palestinian Authority:

Iceland; Liechtenstein; Norway; Switzerland; The Palestinian Authority of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip

Pan-Arab Free Trade Area (PAFTA):

Algeria; Bahrain; Egypt; Iraq; Jordan; Kuwait; Lebanon; Libyan Arab Jamahiriya; Morocco; Oman; Qatar; Saudi Arabia; Sudan; Syrian Arab Republic; The Palestinian Authority of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip; Tunisia; United Arab Emirates; Yemen

 Trade Agreements with the USA, Canada, Israel, Russia, Turkey

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Economically active population, by level of education in Palestine

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Your Advantages

• Very well educated young generation

• Hub for the islamic countries

• Close ties with Israel

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Business in a globalised world is not a question of land

Transit Trade

PalestineTrading Company

offers:•Consulting services for

entering the Arabien world•Financial solutions

•After-sales services for the projects in the region•Market information

•etc.

European/Asian Supplier

offers a product and is looking for a trading

company that handels the distribution/trading

business

Buyer in the Middle East

•using a trading company for the sourcing

•Concentrates on the selling to the consumer

direct delivery of goods

•Financial solutions such as credits•After-sales services•etc.

•Pays the bill•Organises the transport of goods•Knows the buyer

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Business in a globalised world is not a question of land

IT-Business

PalestineSoftware Company

offers:•Programming of software•Customised software solutions for the arabian world•etc.

Source: http://internet-via-satellite.atrexx.com/

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How is business under occupation possible?

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What was our starting point?

http://de.academic.ru/pictures/dewiki/75/Koeln_1945.jpghttps://dokuwiki.noctrl.edu/lib/exe/fetch.php?media=ger:370:2010:winter:unterdenlinden1945ds9.jpg

Berlin

Cologne

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14 million refugees

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Example for border controlls

1946: Family Abel is asking for free passage to buy a goat

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Starting point

• Palestine has not been taking part in the process of globalisation

• Therefore it cannot benefit from the chances

• From the view of an entrepreneur you must start to make use of these chances first

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What are the requirements?

• Forget about what has happened

• Accept the current situation

• Cooperate peacefully

• Start with local business

• Then, the occupational pressure will decrease

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What are the big challenges?

Source: http://live-the-solution.com/wp-content/uploads/pop-mindmap.jpg

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What are the responsibilities of nations within the globalisation?

• Administer law

• Protect the freedom of the individual

• The state must be based on transparent administration but not on family relations

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What does business needs?

• Peace

• Security

• Stability

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Conclusion I

• The global problems can only be solved together.

• Everybody must contribute with what he can do best.

• Germany is good at managing and developing complex systems with its smallest ramifications.

• Palestine has strong assets that make you competitive in a globalised world.

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Conclusion II

• Palestine is invited to take part in the globalisation and to make use of these chances

• Leave ideology behind

• Ideology has never led to an increase in welfare in history

• There is a shift of paradigms at the moment in the Arabian world. Some have started to walk the road out of ideology

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Thank you for your attentionAnton F. Börner

PresidentFederation of German Wholesale, Foreign Trade and Services (BGA)

Am Weidendamm 1A10117 Berlin

Germanyphone: +49 30 59 00 99 5-0

fax: +49 30 59 00 99 519email: [email protected]