LATEST ECONOMIC BRIEFINGS
SENEGAL | 08.03.2010
Les agences internationales ayant vivement conseillé à Dakar d'améliorer l'environnement des entreprises, le gouvernement sénégalais cherche à accélérer le rythme des réformes qui visent à consolider l'économie et le rôle du secteur privé.
INDONESIA | 08.03.2010
Indonesia's heavy gauge railway network is in line to get a boost in the coming few years, with a series of new projects designed to support major development schemes to be completed by 2013.
THAILAND | 08.03.2010
Steps by the Bank of Thailand (BOT), the central bank, to ease regulations governing foreign exchange movement, aimed to boost capital outflows and reduce pressure on the local currency are expected to have a positive effect on the country's capital markets, helping to raise its profile in the international investment community.
NIGERIA | 08.03.2010
After nearly a decade of false starts in the sale of its state telecommunications company, Nigeria recently announced it had found a buyer. However, the privatisation appears to have hit a rocky patch, with a member of the winning consortium denying that its involvement had been finalised.
OMAN | 08.03.2010
The past decade has seen India become a significant trading partner for Oman, with bilateral trade rising from $200m at the start of the decade to almost $2.5bn last year. The year 2010 will see those trade relations become more important, as Oman becomes the first foreign country to establish a joint fund to invest in India.
COUNTRY COVERAGE
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LATEST PUBLICATIONS
THE REPORT: RAS AL-KHAIMAH
A study in contrasts, Ras Al Khaimah (RAK) seems to have something for everyone. Pristine beaches lined with bungalows on one hand, factories that produce the lion’s share of the region’s cement and pharmaceuticals on the other. Light-touch regulation, transparent bureaucracy and a flourishing free trade zone have drawn foreign investment and generated jobs for RAK’s growing population – estimated at 241,000 today but expected to more than triple by 2020, according to estimates from the Ministry of Economy. A strategically important city for more than seven millennia, RAK’s development in recent years has positioned it to become a major player in the region and beyond. Its strong transport links and central location are being developed to their full potential as RAK sets its sights on becoming a premier investment destination.
The Report: Saudi Arabia 2009
Given its strong ties to the global oil market – and thus the overall global economy – it was inevitable that Saudi Arabia would feel the impact of the worldwide economic downturn. Indeed, while 2009 has been by no means a year of straightforward progress, the Kingdom has fared relatively well thanks to its buffer of capital reserves built up over the oil-boom years. Moreover, the government has been proactive in warding off the effects of the global crisis – the 2009 budget was the largest in the country’s history and targeted the development of non-oil sectors crucial to long-term development, such as health and education, as well as the funding of expansive infrastructure projects. The government’s proactive fiscal stance has helped the country to continue on its path towards a more diversified economy and growth is expected to rebound quickly in 2010.
The report: Brunei 2009
The Sultanate of Brunei Darussalam (the Abode of Peace) is located in the north-western coast of Borneo and borders the Malaysian state of Sarawak and the South China Sea. The country’s well-developed hydrocarbons reserves form the backbone of the economy, accounting for 70% of GDP and 78% of exports. Careful management of these resources enables Bruneians to enjoy a standard of living that is among the highest in the world in terms of per capita GDP. As a result, Brunei Darussalam is ranked first in macroeconomic stability by international ranking agencies. To sustain these successes, the nation has recognised the need to diversify the local oil and gas industry and the broader economy as well. The government is using a multifaceted approach to maximise the value of domestic resources and jump-start the country’s industrial base to increase non-hydrocarbons activity and exports.
