Reuters reported that Senegal will host a meeting of the Organization of the Islamic Conference in Dakar on March 13th and March 14th 2008, at a time when many Middle East and North African companies are making large investments in sub Saharan Africa.

Below is a list of some recent Arab investments in metals, mining and infrastructure and oil sectors.

Minerals

1) Qatar Steel took a 50% stake in 2007 in the USD 2.2 billion Guelb al Aouj iron ore project in Mauritania.

2) UAE's Ras Al Khaimah Minerals & Metals Investment Fund said that it would invest up to USD 250 million to develop copper and cobalt production in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Shipping

1) DP World wrestled a USD 455 million contract to expand Dakar port from France's Bollore, a conglomerate which flourished in Paris' former colonies.

2) Dubai World's unit JAFZA has signed a USD 800 million deal to construct and operate a special economic zone outside the Senegalese capital, offering reduced tax rates and logistics services to companies looking to export to the US and Europe.

3) DP World already manages port terminals in Djibouti's strategically placed harbor which serves the Persian Gulf and Mozambique's port of Maputo.

Oil

1) OiLibya has acquired the service station business of American oil giant Exxon Mobil in 2007.

2) Venessia Petroleum will build a USD 150 million fuel storage facility in Malawi to boost the southern African country's reserves.

3) Middle East based companies are also involved in oil and gas exploration in Tanzania, including Dodsal Resources and Ras Al Khaimah Gas Commission of United Arab Emirates.

4) Dubai based refiner ENOC has storage facilities in Mozambique and Djibouti.