UAE firm set for Vivyandi win

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) firm Etisalat looks set to win shares in French companies Vivyandi and Maroc Telecom, after sources told Arabstoday the company had the best chance of winning. Etisalat would obtain a 53-percent cut if it managed to fend off fierce competition from Saudi Arabian Telecom company, Qatar’s Qtel and MTN from South Africa. Maroc Telecom directors are expected to settle the deal in an April 30 meeting, following negotiations over how best to sell of shares to reduce accumulated debt. Sources have also revealed that Qatari firm Qtel has made a larger offer than Etisalat but that executives are leaning towards the UAE company for “strategic reasons.”