Book contents
Preface to the first edition
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 02 December 2009
Summary
This book deals with the legal regime of foreign private investment in Sudan and Saudi Arabia, countries which have similar ethnic, religious and social backgrounds, albeit many diverse political and economic characteristics. Yet both countries fall within the category of the ‘developing countries’, which have been for decades victims of an existing international economic order which heavily tilts the scale against these countries.
Sudan is the largest country in Africa. Economically, it enjoys a strategic location, lying in close proximity to the lucrative and rapidly growing Middle Eastern markets. Despite its numerous constraints, its untapped potential has attracted the attention of the Arabs, and the international business community, as a highly promising place for investment.
Because of lack of adequate capital and technical know-how, foreign private investment is of paramount importance for the economic development of Sudan. Public investment hitherto has hobbled the progress of the national economy by burdening the country with the accumulation of massive debts, now at astronomical proportions. Hence the obvious and urgent need of the country for foreign capital makes the legal study of foreign private investment a timely necessity. Saudi Arabia, on the other hand, being one of the richest countries in terms of financial resources, and having emerged as an influential international economic power, yet needs foreign investment to import the appropriate technology, expertise and know-how for the realization of its huge developmental goals.
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- Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2003