MEC Ambassadorial Service

 

Understanding New Trends in the Middle East  & Central Asia

 

Introduction

Understanding and adapting to developments in the Middle East and Central Asia has never been more critical for business. National stability hinges on the outcome in 2005 of the elections in Iraq. Afghanistan houses one of the major sources of world-wide terrorism. Both countries are major factors in American, European and Pacific basin politics. Nuclear weapons proliferation and the spread of weapons of mass destruction are key issues in Central Asia and the Middle East. The Americans are seriously considering the use of force against Iran if it continues on the path towards nuclear weapons. American policy towards all ‘axis-of-evil’ countries, including North Korea, is conditioned by its unsettling experience in Iraq, and its dealings with the unpredictable ayatollahs in Iran. The future of Islam itself is on trial as the Jihadists wage war not only against ‘westerners’ but against each other. Finally, the Middle East is the key to the ever fascinating and highly complex world of oil, the politics and price of energy - which connect up to the state of the world economy, climate-change and the global environment.

A Service to Support Corporate Strategy and Security

Questions related to these issues are at the forefront of the minds of Chairmen and CEOs of major international corporations, banks and oil companies. MEC International therefore offers a holistic response to these challenges with an Ambassadorial Service  run by  senior Ambassadors and those with many years of experience in the region. Risk related questions receive a rapid response from a specially selected MEC task force headed in each case by a consultant ambassador. This service offers a complete tailored response supported by MEC publications, its Analytical Group services and consultancy advice available through a hot line and through a team of selected senior consultants.

The Brief

The first step is for a company to prepare a brief of its requirements to which an initial written response is prepared by MEC offering both the scope of the service and the personnel involved. For example, one company may wish to track key developments and build in risk protection across its operations in the Middle East to include Central Asia and Iran, Turkey, Israel, the Levant, the Gulf and the Maghreb. The MEC ambassadorial response may not be restricted to the company ’s main business sectors but will also look at wider but related developments including politics, economics, energy and technology which will impact the company’s level of political risk and future stability and development of the region. The ambassadorial service seeks to identify important underlying developments and provide concise analytical insights to allow forward planning. The focus will vary from week to week changing with the issues of the day.

Structure

The service comprises:

• An annual briefing for senior executives with a team of analysts
• A monthly over-view and commentary on developments
• A weekly update and analysis of current events
• A hotline service to deal with matters of the moment.

The contents of the service include:

• A weekly “Iraq Business Update”
• A fortnightly “Libyan Business Update”
• A monthly “Arab Business Review”
• Weekly issues of the “ MEC Analytical Group”
• Major world events analysis and commentary by ambassadors

The level and depth of service is agreed in advance with the client and reviewed half-yearly.

More

MEC offers a tailored project risk and response advisory team comprising consultants with regional expertise and backgrounds in diplomacy, security services, business, academia, journalism and the media. For more information contact Ian Walker or Geoffrey Hancock at telephone 0207 591 4816, or visit the MEC website www.meconsult.co.uk          

© MEC 2005