FRANCE. The reconversion of the Villa Méditerranée in Marseille into a reconstruction of the prehistoric Cosquer cave marks a new ambition for a building destined to become a tourist mecca after having hosted the major Mediterranean economic events.

MOROCCO/TUNISIA. Figures will remain well below 2019, but the summer of 2022 looks much better than 2020 and 2021.

FRANCE. The concept of Aroma-Zone, the sale of DIY cosmetic and home care products, is being strengthened in the South of France with the opening of a shop in Marseille and then in Montpellier, and will soon be exported to Belgium before going to Spain and Italy.

MEDITERRANEAN / AFRICA. Supported by the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Aix-Marseille-Provence and the Africalink network of entrepreneurs, the Afric'Agora project is going to be created in Marseille to welcome African companies and encourage their relations with their French counterparts. Frédéric Ronal, its promoter within the CCIAMP, tells us about it.

EU. The European Commission has presented a series of ideas for collective action to ensure security of supply and reasonable prices for gas in the European Union in the face of threats from the war in Ukraine.

LEBANON. As part of her investigation into the transactions of five Lebanese banks, a judge orders a freeze on the assets of these institutions and their respective board members.

GREECE. The European Commission is opening an in-depth investigation into various support measures granted by the Greek State to the postal operator Hellenic Post (ELTA).

LEBANON. The Central Bank of Lebanon is asking the country's commercial banks to provide the names of political figures who have not complied with a circular ordering them to repatriate funds sent abroad to avoid the country's collapse in 2019.

TURQUIE. Avec un montant de 2 mrds€ dont 85% vers le secteur privé, la Banque européenne pour la reconstruction et le développement bat son record d'investissement réalisés en Turquie en 2021.

MOROCCO / FRANCE. Specialized in temporary work and human resources, the group Proman repurchases the Moroccan VHP Assist and opens agencies in Morocco for its first incursion on the African continent.

EUROPE. According to Allianz Global Investors, the companies in the MSCI Europe index are expected to pay out around €410bn to their shareholders in 2022, an increase of 8.4% compared to 2021.

SPAIN / FRANCE. Perial Asset Management acquires a portfolio of nine Spanish hotel assets for a total amount of €58.4m.

In an exclusive interview granted to econostrum.info during the Emerging Valley event (Marseille, 14 December 2021), Zeineb Messaoud, executive director of The Dot, a digital innovation hub in Tunis, discusses the recent history of start-up development in Tunisia and highlights the ambition of her newly created structure.

EU. The European Commission will financially support projects under the digital strand of the European Interconnection Mechanism with the aim of ensuring that all populated areas have 5G coverage by 2030.