TAG: UAE: Ajman
The introduction of a flat 5% value-added tax on January 1, 2018 is part of ongoing efforts to boost government revenue and increase the overall transparency of the market. Although still in its early days, the move comes against a backdrop of positive sentiment among business leaders, as shown in the second iteration of Oxford Business Group’s Business Barometer: UAE CEO Survey. Of the nearly 150 executives surveyed, more than three-quarters had positive or very positive expectations of local business conditions, while 90% said the level of transparency for conducting business was high or very high relative to the broader region.
Undoubtedly, higher and more stable oil prices have buoyed the Gulf countries over the past year. As I have written before, this is in some senses good news for the region, where oil plays such an important role in terms of income.
Higher and more stable oil prices have undoubtedly buoyed Gulf countries in 2018. While this is, in some senses, good news for the region, where oil plays such a crucial role in terms of income, it also raises important questions about the need for – and the pace of – reform. In speaking with close to 900 of the region’s executives in face-to-face interviews, the latest OBG Business Barometer: Gulf CEO Survey illuminates how the rollercoaster of the past year has impacted near-term business plans in the private sector, and how executives are factoring uncertainty into their development strategies.