Middle East and Africa Policy

Ford has a strong heritage in the Middle East and Africa, with more than six decades of presence in the region. The company has increased sales of the Ford and Lincoln brands in the region significantly in the past four years and we see it as poised to become one of the next big automotive growth markets. However, the region is comprised of diverse markets with different political, cultural and economic environments. While fuel economy and CO₂ have not been key political or consumer priorities in many of the markets in this region to date, the products we have sold in the region have generally benefited from fuel economy and CO₂ improvements we have implemented for products in other regions. We anticipate that new regulatory challenges and opportunities are likely to emerge in the near future.

South Africa has been in the lead in developing standards to reduce vehicle CO₂ emissions. They have enforced a tax based on the car’s emissions levels since 2010.

Saudi Arabia has recently been focusing on fuel-efficiency improvements in their vehicle fleet. Requirements for vehicle labeling and reporting in the region are under discussion. They are also considering requirements for potential average fuel consumption fleet targets in the near future. We continue to maintain dialogue with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and our other local markets, to ensure our product strategies complement and align with their national goals.