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The Oryx's Jump: Qatar, A Rising Regional Power - Part I - A nation under high speed development

By Dr. Bienvenu-Magloire Quenum

The Arabian oryx is a medium-sized antelope weighing 65 - 75 kg (140 - 170 lb). The Oryx is the emblem of Qatar Airways, the national carrier.

And Qatar is a peninsula located in the Arabian Gulf, South Northeast of Saudi Arabia, West to the United Arab Emirates as shown here, It covers 11,437 sq km / 4,416 square miles. Its population numbers 907,229 (July 2007 est.) increasing at the annual average rate of 10% - taking into account nationals growth rate (2.386% - July 2007 est.) and migrants/ workers and professionals coming from the whole world to be part of the progress in Qatar.

The author of this text visited Qatar from December 18, 2007 to January 04, 2008. It was a discovery and learning trip.

A relative residing in the country had, on phone conversations described the country as a vibrant developing nation, that is moving fast into economic development without losing its traditional mores and values. So, the writer decided to go and have a look by himself accompanied by his wife.

Our plane landed on December 18, 2007 at Doha Airport at 01:05 AM. Entry visas were delivered diligently on the spot (for one month stay,) by a Qatari civil servant woman. Visa cost payment was made promptly with a Visa bankcard.

The ride from the airport to our residence was a trip on a triple lanes well maintained tarred boulevard, bordered with brightly illuminated shops and buildings, which shining shops signs make the city look likes Las-Vegas. Our car was speeding among an incredible number of top-of-the range (up to 500 horse powered engines) luxurious four wheeled vehicles.

Doha: A capital-city, under-construction

Day after day, till the date of our departure on January 4, 2008, our relative, in his double capacity of civil works engineer and certified architect, drove us daily trough the city, showing us new buildings and new constructions; visiting gigantic air-conditioned malls (currently 500,000 square meters are already available - and thousand sq meters are under-construction).

Owing to the daunting temperature existing outdoor (that reaches up to 45°C/ 113°F in summer,) Doha's city-planners opted for air-conditioned malls, in order to cool and shield the stroller from outdoor darting sun (see on graph at the left side of this paragraph, temperature's evolution throughout the year in Celcius/ °C)

One of the mall (the Villagio) has a rooftop painted to mimic the sky, giving the passer-by the impression that he or she is walking in a street - an air-conditioned one though!.

The Villagio features also a skating rink built to international standard hockey playing pitch.

Virgin had established a huge media shop at the Villagio, where media and books in English, French, and Arabic are exposed as soon as available.

Luxurious shops selling goods from the trendy trademarks of the whole world, and an amazing number of restaurants and snack bars abound in all the malls.

The city of Doha is mapped around the man-modified Doha bay / Corniche (Al Corniche,) which is 8 km long, bordered by high towers and futuristic building (which skyline is above pictured).

The traditional market (souk) had been redesigned and modernized with the introduction of utilities (electricity and piped water, fire brigade hoses and station;) and paved lanes and corridors. The architectural design respects Qatar's traditional building system. Everything in the structuration and design of the souk had been fitted and adjusted in such a way that one does not have the impression that the compound is a new one, because the 'old' pattern is still there.

We visited a sealine resort, located South to Doha at about 40 lm, that has immaculate beaches and first class bungalows, in addition to hotel rooms. We then toured deeper into the South to visit the dunes and reached the "Interior Sea", that is the southern frontier between Saudi Arabia and Qatar. Another trip up to the northern part of the country, revealed a rocky desert, different from the sandy one that covers the southern part.

Boring Doha? No. One should speak of "daring" Doha - A capital-city, full of events and animation

In our opinion, no sober visitor could speak anymore of "boring" Doha. Would remained bored visiting or residing in the capital city of Qatar, persons who shut themselves up in hotel rooms or compounds.

Indeed, there are now in Doha, tour agencies specialized in guiding visitors for in and out town discoveries into the hinterland. One should now speak of "daring" Doha, not only for the architectural futuristic designs of the several towers that are sprouting like flowers and herbs in the desert after a single rainy day, but also for the host of events organized all over the year in all sorts of business and social lines by hotels, governments agencies, and private companies. An Internet search would reveal the astounding number of events/activities proposed (sailing, Doha tennis tournament, conferences and expositions; horses' and camels' racing. Etc. At least four cultural and sport events per month)

That is for the tourist part of our stay in Doha. As editor of Africabiz Online, the writer is always, visiting a country, more interested in the global economic development aspect.

So, let us consider now which strategic thinking is behind the outstanding development pace currently experienced by the State of Qatar. Click here to read about: Vision and Strategy Behind Qatar Take-off



Dr. Bienvenu-Magloire Quenum is the principal/ managing director of Dr. Quenum & Associates, IBC. He is an experienced Investment & Business Planner with 25 years consulting practice in African countries. He is the editor in chief of Africabiz Online

MORE ON ARABIAN GULF STATES

1- The Making of the Modern Gulf States Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, the UAE and Oman by Rosemarie Said Zahlan (Paperback - April 1999) 2- Living & Working in the Gulf States by Robert Hughes (Paperback - April 25, 2003) by Andrew Borrowiec 3- Customs & Etiquette Of Arabia And Gulf States by Bruce Ingham and J. Fayadh (Paperback - Jan 2005) 4- Gulf States (Flashpoints) by Michael Gallagher (Hardcover - Mar 24, 2005) 5- Industrial Raw Materials of the Arabian Gulf Proceedings of the First Conference on Indigenous Raw Materials by R. Abu Eid, D. C. Almond, and J. Al-Sulaimi (Hardcover - Dec 1994) 6- Don't They Know It's Friday? Cross-Cultural Considerations for Business and Life in the Gulf by Jeremy Williams (Paperback - Mar 1999)

7- The Emergence of Qatar The Turbulent Years 1627--1916 by Habibur Rahman (Hardcover - Jan 30, 2006) 8- D & B Report by D&B (Digital - Nov 22, 2007) - Download: PDF 9- Building and OEM Wire in Qatar by Gobi International (Digital - Sep 30, 2004) - Download: PDF 10- Qatar Foreign Policy And Government Guide by USA International Business Publications (Paperback - Jan 30, 2004) 11- Doing Business with Qatar by Anthony Shoult, Jonathan Wallace, Dew Philip, and PhilipDew (Textbook Binding - Oct 2002) 12- Qatar a "Spy" Guide by USA IBP (Paperback - May 2005)

"CONTRIBUTOR'S GUIDELINES" are available here. We invite you to contribute to AFRICABIZ ONLINE MONTHLY ISSUE - with articles related to "How Africa Could Bridge The Developing Gap".

Your feedback / objection / contribution is welcome. Visit WorldWide BizCenter, and choose General Information (as topic) to create a thread for discussion. On the top of the WorldWide BizCenter page, there is a HELP link to assist you making an efficient use of the discussion board. This link also is useful

Many thanks for subscribing to Africabiz. See you here on Feb 15, 2008.

  Dr. B.M. Quenum
Click for email address

Business Opportunities

LIVESTOCK & GAME DEVELOPMENT - PART III: - ANIMAL FEED FORMULATION

For livestock's definition you may consult previous delivery. Around 600 million tons of animal feed are produced annually around the world. And African production of global animal feed (for broilers, layers, dairy, beef and sheep, pigs, dogs, cats and horses(s breeding) is insignificant in world's total.

This delivery is a continuation to the previous one that laid down the basics for animal feed formulation.

At following link you can download a paper by D. R. Gill and D. L. Lalman Animal Science Department, Oklahoma State University titled: "Calculation of Complete Diets For Beef Cattle Checking For Nutrient Balance and Estimating Gain," that gives details about an animal feed formulation software: OSUNRC2002

In order to produce quality meat and supply the demand in Africa, and suppress recurrent social disturbances in rural areas, resulting from clashes between wandering herders and sedentary farmers, the establishment of animal feed industries in each single African nation is a necessity.

- No Need For A Complex Formulation To Manufacture A Balanced Animal Feed

Nutrition research spanning more than 100 years has defined the nutrients required by animals. Using this information, rations can be formulated from feeds and ingredients to meet these requirements. Animals fed these rations should not only remain healthy but be productive and efficient.

Currently, as previously exposed, most African countries, South Africa excepted, import animal feed. And the formulation of imported feeds is most of the time a complex one because producers use computer technology for the formulation to maintain constant quality of productions batches; and use components that permits strict control of costs of production.

However, "in old days," in Europe and America, things were simple. It was a matter of utilizing available feed ingredients such as corn, hay, silage, whole cottonseed, soybean or cottonseed meal, etc., to balance for the basic nutrients such as dry matter, protein, energy and fiber, and to avoid animal protein intakes that had been the cause of mad cow disease in Europe during the late 1990s .

Agricultural productions in African countries generate products and by-products that are suitable to formulate healthy natural organic cattle feed.

A previous delivery exposed a small-scale operation to producing cassava chips, that can be used as basic feeding stuff in addition to: cassava peels, molasses, pineapple peels, tropical fruits pulps, hay, grinded cereals cobs, cotton seeds, nuts, salts, breweries's wastes, supplements and ingredients.

For more on the matter click here

MORE ON LIVESTOCK & GAME DEVELOPMENT

1-Handbook of Livestock Management by Richard A. Battaglia (Paperback - Jul 21, 2006) 2- Raising Small Livestock: A Practical Handbook by Jerome D. Belanger (Paperback - Feb 11, 2005) 3- The Homesteader's Handbook to Raising Small Livestock Goats, Chickens, Sheep. Geese, Rabbitts, Hogs, Turkeys, Guinea Fowl, Ducks and Pigeons by Jerome D. Belanger (Hardcover - April 1974) 4- Backyard Livestock: Raising Good, Natural Food for Your Family, Third Edition by Steven Thomas and George P. Looby (Paperback - Jan 2, 2007) 5- Keeping Livestock Healthy: A Veterinary Guide to Horses, Cattle, Pigs, Goats & Sheep, 4th Edition by N. Bruce Haynes (Paperback - Nov 1, 2001) 6- Alternative Health Practices for Livestock by Michael Keilty and Thomas Morris (Hardcover - Jan 1, 2006)

7- A World Dictionary of Livestock Breed Types, and Varieties by V. Porter and I. L. Mason (Hardcover - Jun 6, 2002) 8- Livestock waste facilities handbook (Paperback - 1985) 9- Raising Small Livestock: A Practical Handbook by Jerome D. Belanger (Paperback - Feb 11, 2005) 10- Livestock Feeds and Feeding (5th Edition) (Hardcover - Jun 8, 2001) by Richard O. Kellems and David C. Church 11- Raising Game Birds by Lessiter Publications (Paperback - Jun 1986) 12- Livestock Production in Unfavourable Economic Environments: Strategies for Attaining Sustained Competitive Advantage by P. G. A Jennings (Hardcover - Mar 30, 2007)

Click here to read more about the matter

Control Your Desktop

AN ALTERNATIVE TO MICROSOFT SAFE-MODE REBOOTING PROCEDURE

The purpose of the Safe-Mode is to start the operating system only with a minimal set of components loaded. Thus spyware, adware, virus [59, 74, 79, 84, 92, 95] or malfunctioning component you are trying to remove will in 99% of the cases not be loaded in Safe Mode and therefore much easier to delete of fix

Sometimes pressing F8 (Microsoft procedure) would not make the system booting in safe mode. One has to retry the whole process again as here explained

To avoid the waste of time and stress (one trying to troubleshoot and make the system operational again), there is a small sized utility called BootSafe, available for free download at following link: http://www.superadblocker.com/bootsafe.html that makes the booting process into safe-mode a snap.

Visit the link and never be stressed again trying to boot into safe mode
For more on the matter visit this link.

Freebie Of The Month

BIG DEALS WITH THE US GOVERNMENT AUCTION AND BIDS WEBSITE

You certainly know about eBay, the site dedicated to auction bid about anything one can think about. Do you know that the US government itself run a similar site? Yeah! the U.S. government offer a wide range of all kinds of stuff for sale: houses, land, farms, international real estates (yes!), vehicles (hundreds of them) boats,aircrafts, boats, computers, industrial equipment, jewelry & watches, books, plumbing supplies, a gas turbine engine. The listing is vast . Visit the website and make your choice and bid at following link: http://www.govsales.gov