North Africa/Middle East

A decade after the international financial crisis and local political upheavals, many of the non-oil exporting nations in the Middle East and North Africa are undergoing a process of redefinition of how they are linked with the global economy. It is not going well, a Bloomberg View reported. Egypt, Tunisia, Morocco and Jordan are becoming more dependent on external borrowing than on foreign direct investments compared to the pre-2008 period. This is visible with declining ratios of FDIs to GDP, in contrast with increasing ratios of foreign debt to GDP and total exports.

Lebanon needs a plan to manage its huge public debt that offers a chance to “liberate the public budget from the burden of a deadly accumulation of debt and debt service”, finance minister Ali Hassan Khalil said on Thursday. Khalil told parliament that such a plan would need to be discussed by stakeholders including the government, the central bank and commercial banks, Reuters reported. “This requires a dialogue by the government, between the government and (parliament), a dialogue in which the central bank participates and the banks participate.

Amlak Finance PJSC is nearing a deal to restructure debt for a second time as the Dubai-based Islamic mortgage provider navigates an ongoing property slump, according to two people with knowledge of the plan, Bloomberg News reported. The company is asking creditors to reschedule repayments on $1.2 billion of loans over the originally agreed period that ends in 2026, said the people, asking not to be identified because the information is private. Most lenders have agreed to the new terms but a final deal hasn’t been signed, they said.

Jet Airways shut down its operations on April 17 following the refusal by its lenders to advance any funds for its operations, The News Minute reported. Subsequently, State Bank of India filed an application with the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) to initiate insolvency proceedings against the airline company. News has now come in that Etihad Airways has expressed its interest in the resolution of the Jet Airways imbroglio.

On May 30, 2019, Dubai’s ruler, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum, signed DIFC Insolvency Law, Law No. 1 of 2019 (the “New Insolvency Law”) into law, thereby repealing and replacing DIFC Law No. 3 of 2009, the National Law Review reported. The New Insolvency Law, and supporting regulations (the “Regulations”), became effective on June 13, 2019, and govern companies operating in the Dubai International Financial Centre (the “DIFC”).

Gulf Pharmaceutical Industries is looking to hire a restructuring adviser after cutting jobs as a ban on the medicine maker’s exports to Saudi Arabia weighs on its finances, Bloomberg News reported. The company known as Julphar replaced most of its top management and appointed new board members as it comes under increasing financial strain. The United Arab Emirates-based firm also cut about 150 jobs, or 3% of its workforce, according to a person with knowledge of the plans who asked not to be identified because they are private.

Limitless LLC asked banks to delay debt repayments for a third time as an on-going slump in property prices weighs on the Dubai-based developer, people with knowledge of the plan said, Bloomberg News reported. The company is seeking to reschedule about $600 million-worth of loans and is also asking banks for a new loan of 475 million dirhams ($129 million) to help complete existing projects, said the people, asking not to be identified because the information is private. The developer hasn’t proposed a formal restructuring plan to banks yet, they said.

Saudi Arabia plans to issue a debut euro-denominated bond, part of a borrowing binge to meet the government’s ambitious spending targets, The Wall Street Journal reported. The bond is aimed at diversifying Saudi Arabia’s investor base, following predominantly dollar debt that has catapulted the kingdom up the ranks of emerging-market bond issuers. Subject to market conditions, Saudi Arabia is seeking to issue the bond in tranches of eight and 20 years, according to a marketing document provided by one of the arrangers Monday. The exact timing of the issuance isn’t clear.

Slowing capital inflows to Lebanon and weaker deposit growth increase the risk of a debt rescheduling or other steps that may constitute a default despite fiscal consolidation measures in the 2019 draft budget, Moody’s Investors Service said. The draft budget aims to cut the deficit to 7.6% of gross domestic product from 11.5% last year, with Lebanese leaders warning the country faces financial crisis without reform, Reuters reported. Asked about the Moody’s credit analysis, Finance Minister Ali Hassan Khalil said on Thursday “matters are under control”.

On 13 June 2019, the much anticipated DIFC Insolvency Law No. 1 of 2019 and associated DIFC Insolvency Regulations 2019 (collectively the “2019 DIFC Insolvency Law”), came into full force and effect, replacing the DIFC Insolvency Law No. 3 of 2009, JD Supra reported. By way of context, the 2019 DIFC Insolvency Law applies only to entities registered and operating within the DIFC. The 2019 DIFC Insolvency Law aims to balance the needs of all stakeholders in the context of insolvency related situations in DIFC, and in doing so facilitate a more efficient and effective restructuring regime.