Country Reports

Over the last two decades Peru has been one of the fastest-growing economies in the region. Remarkably resilient to global headwinds, positive GDP growth has continued despite the end of the commodities boom. Yet the growth rate has slowed and the initial impetus of a first wave of structural reforms has faded. The question now is whether the current administration can address problems, implement further reforms and re-accelerate the economy.

While reduced oil prices are undoubtedly a concern for the emirate’s authorities, economic diversification efforts of recent years mean Abu Dhabi is well placed to weather a prolonged period of subdued prices. Vision 2030 meanwhile contains a raft of goals that will further reduce the emirate’s reliance on hydrocarbons, and continue to foster the emergence of a more sustainable and knowledge-based economy in the years ahead.

Positioned between west and east Asia, Sri Lanka sits on a major maritime route between Europe and the Far East and its natural resources have made it a trading centre for millennia.

Following a landmark peace agreement and a late-2016 tax reform package, 2017 looks to be a year of significant promise for Colombia. The country has been in recovery since the 2014 collapse in oil prices, which predominantly affected exports, government revenues and the exchange rate. However, with the external sector acting as a shock absorber, the authorities helped ensure that domestic demand was able to pick up some of the slack.

Despite gloomy global trade forecasts, the Philippines’ strong macroeconomic fundamentals, competitive geographical and labour force advantages, and rising domestic consumption bode well for future trade and investment.

The past two years have seen the Tunisian economy follow a gentle upward trajectory – one that falls short of the pace of expansion needed to reduce poverty and improve the revenue base, but that nonetheless exhibits a marked improvement over previous years.