Investing in the Middle East’s Middle Class

Investing in the Middle East’s Middle Class

This article originally appeared in the Sovereign Wealth Fund Bulletin, Tufts University
Elissa McCarter, Vice President of Development Finance at CHF International, explores the tremendous opportunities presented by the political and social transformation of the Arab Spring to address the economic disparity and lack of opportunity faced by a rising middle class. Small amounts of investment can play a catalytic role in supporting entrepreneurship and the growth of micro and small businesses in the Middle East, where more equitable economic growth and job creation is becoming imperative to survival. This article describes the role that these small amounts of investment can play and examines some of the models that have been used effectively to leverage private investment for the benefit of low and medium incomes families, highlighting the case of CHF International and its experience in bringing private capital to underserved markets in four countries in the Middle East. 

Growing a Middle East- Middle Class:  Where Small Investment Goes a Long Way

Political instability across the Middle East region has continued to keep investors away. But the unprecedented political and social transformation of the Arab Spring taking place offers tremendous opportunities to address the economic disparity and lack of opportunity faced by a rising middle class as well as poorer citizens who make up the majority of the population today. In the midst of this chaos, there is a huge and catalytic role that small amounts of investment can play in supporting entrepreneurship and the growth of micro and small businesses in the Middle East, where more equitable economic growth and job creation is becoming imperative to survival. This article describes the role that these small amounts of investment can play and examines some of the models that have been used effectively to leverage private investment for the benefit of low and medium incomes families. It highlights the case of CHF International and its experience in bringing private capital to underserved markets in four countries in the Middle East.

 
Read the rest of the paper here.