The Middle East offers a plethora of opportunities for professionals in international development. Whether you are consultant interested in gaining more experience in the region or the head of a company looking to retain local expertise, this list can help you identify a few Middle Eastern companies that have ties to international donors and national government agencies.

The companies work in a range of areas, including investment, infrastructure, environment, and management. All of the firms have worked with international donor agencies, local government departments, private businesses and non-governmental organizations.

The list was compiled using the Development Executive Group’s company directory and contract awards database, as well as general Internet search resources. The consulting companies are organized by the location of their headquarters: Egypt, Jordan, Palestine, Lebanon, Syria, and Washington, D.C.

Egypt

Chemonics Egypt is an engineering and management consulting firm that is independent from but affiliated with Chemonics International, Inc. Founded in 1992, it works in Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Libya, and Syria. Its core services are municipal water and wastewater systems, solid waste management, industrial pollution prevention and control, water resources protection and management and urban and rural development.

Community and Institutional Development (CID) was founded in 1995, CID focuses on private sector development, community development, communication and training. Its founder, Laila Iskandar, was named the 2006 Schwab Foundation Social Entrepreneur of the Year in Egypt for her work with rural communities and garbage collectors.

Environmental Quality International (EQI), founded in Cairo in 1981 as an environmental consulting firm, EQI now also provides expertise in governance and enterprise development throughout Africa and the Middle East. In the late 1990s it increased its involvement in sustainable development projects. EQI has won financing from agencies such as the U.S. Agency for International Development, the Canadian International Development Agency and the International Finance Corporation.

Egypt International Consulting Bureau (ICB) provides institutional development, social marketing, and environmental and engineering consulting services. Founded in Cairo in 1981, ICB has a staff of 20 economists, accountants, agronomists, sociologists, public health professionals, environmental specialists and engineers and draws on an additional pool of 700 specialists. The company has an office in Ontario, Canada in addition to its two offices in Cairo.

North South Consultant Exchange (NSCE) Founded in 1988, NSCE’s works throughout the Middle East and Northern and sub-Saharan Africa in finance, agriculture and education. It receives funding from the European Commission, EU member country’s donor agencies, Arab Development Funds and the African Development Bank, among others. Its sister company, NSCE International, works out of the United Kingdom.

Jordan

Established in Amman in 1994, Al-Jidara advises the public and private sectors on governance, capacity building, investment, and information and communications technologies. Al-Jidara worked closely with Chemonics International on the USAID-funded Jordan Achievement of Market-Friendly Initiatives and Results Program (AMIR 2.0).

Consulting Engineer Center (CEC), founded in 1974, works on water, environment, dams, transportation, agriculture, public utilities and industry projects from its offices in Jordan, Yemen, Palestine, and Lesotho. Its approximately 210 professionals provide technical assistance, feasibility studies, engineering designs, and construction management.

Envision Consulting Group (EnConsult) was founded by Yusuf Mansur, the former CEO of the Jordan Agency for Enterprise and Investment. The company recently produced business and investment studies for the EU, UNCTAD and Jordan Chamber of Commerce, among other clients.

Arabian Business Consultants for Development (ABCD) aims to strengthen small and medium enterprises by providing entrepreneurs with business, legal and management consulting services. Chief Executive Officer Laith Al-Qasem has held or currently holds leadership positions in the Young Entrepreneurs Association, RUBICON (Jordan Training Technology Group), Amman World Trade Center, and Jordan Technology Group. ABCD recently received funding from the EU-funded EJADA and the USAID-funded AMIR 2.0.

Palestine

Founded in 2000, New Vision Management Consulting, has provided capacity building and research services for clients such as World Vision, ACDI/VOCA, Palestinian Agricultural Relief Committees, GTZ, DFID, and Save the Children. New Vision is based in Ramallah and its core staff of 3-5 professionals has expertise in business, market research and law.

Development Alternatives, Inc. established DAI Palestine in 2004. With headquarters in Ramallah and an office in Gaza City, DAI Palestine’s 60 employees work for public and private clients on issues of economic growth, business development and governance.

Founded in Ramallah in 1998 by a Jordanian-educated engineer, Global Management Consulting Group works primarily in the West Bank, Gaza and Jerusalem, though it seeks to expand its presence in the Middle East. Global has provided dozens of management training courses and project evaluations for businesses as well as private voluntary organizations. Its 1,000-member consultant database supplements a staff of 15 professionals, 100 trainers and 150 field workers.

Lebanon

Founded in Beirut in 2003, ProDev partners with companies such as Transtec (Belgium), ICON (Germany), Maxwell Stamp (UK), and Helsinki Consult (Finland). Half of ProDev’s projects are in Lebanon, with the other half in Syria, Jordan, Egypt, Yemen and throughout the Middle East and North Africa region. Most of these projects are funded by the European Commission and focus on investment, trade, education and public sector reform. The company works out of Beirut, Cairo and Damascus; it has 12 full-time and 20 part-time staff, plus a database of 700 consultants.

Syria

Founded in Damascus in 1991, Syrian Consulting Bureau for Development and Investment (SCB) aims to strengthen domestic and foreign businesses in Syria. It delivers several consulting assignments for international donors. Founder Nabil Sukkar, formerly with the World Bank, has commented on Syria’s economic liberalization and reform for publications such as the Financial Times, Business Week and the New York Times. SCB has a core staff of a dozen analysts.

Washington, D.C.

Founded in 2001, the Amr Group provides strategic analysis and survey implementation and facilitates economic, political and social dialogue between Western and Arab leaders. Managing Partner Hady Amr, formerly with the World Bank, works with about four other core staff out of the firm’s Washington, D.C. office.