It can never be overstated: Wallonia must become more open to the world in order to promote its technological and industrial expertise, the excellence of its higher education, its quality of life, etc.
Openness also, and especially, means going out and taking on the world, demonstrating its economic, scientific and cultural know-how, and avoiding a "wait-and-see" attitude in the hope that one day the world will come to us.
However, the world is faced with a profusion of offers from a whole host of countries and regions, each as enticing as the next and only the most dynamic and relevant offers can stand out. If the world does not come to us, we must go out into the world and sell our expertise.
Take the example of my country, Algeria, which due to its financial windfall, has gone all out with major development projects. It imports almost all of what it needs, but Wallonia's position on this lucrative market is almost insignificant with its exports accounting for just 80.37 million euros (2013) of Belgium's 1.075 billion euros (2013) of exports to this country (Algeria is Belgium's leading customer in North Africa), which is 7% of Belgium's total export to Algeria.
Wallonia's absence in Algeria is an established fact, but the region's largest, most dynamic and moreover, French-speaking market is one that needs vast expertise to support its economic regeneration.
This could provide Wallonia with an enviable position due to its skills and SMEs but it needs to think outside the box and adjust its strategies to make its voice heard and that includes using the role of the brand ambassador to promote the advantages of Wallonia!
It can never be overstated: Wallonia must become more open to the world in order to promote its technological and industrial expertise, the excellence of its higher education, its quality of life, etc.
Openness also, and especially, means going out and taking on the world, demonstrating its economic, scientific and cultural know-how, and avoiding a "wait-and-see" attitude in the hope that one day the world will come to us.
However, the world is faced with a profusion of offers from a whole host of countries and regions, each as enticing as the next and only the most dynamic and relevant offers can stand out. If the world does not come to us, we must go out into the world and sell our expertise.
Take the example of my country, Algeria, which due to its financial windfall, has gone all out with major development projects. It imports almost all of what it needs, but Wallonia's position on this lucrative market is almost insignificant with its exports accounting for just 80.37 million euros (2013) of Belgium's 1.075 billion euros (2013) of exports to this country (Algeria is Belgium's leading customer in North Africa), which is 7% of Belgium's total export to Algeria.
Wallonia's absence in Algeria is an established fact, but the region's largest, most dynamic and moreover, French-speaking market is one that needs vast expertise to support its economic regeneration.
This could provide Wallonia with an enviable position due to its skills and SMEs but it needs to think outside the box and adjust its strategies to make its voice heard and that includes using the role of the brand ambassador to promote the advantages of Wallonia!
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