Country Reports

Jordan’s stable political environment, as well as the robust growth projections for its economy, should ensure near term investment inflows continue to fuel growth across the board; however, regional instability has been having a negative impact on the country’s tourism sector and rising refugee numbers are putting increased pressure on state services.

Vietnam has emerged as one of the fastest-growing economies in South-east Asia, offering a number of attractive investment opportunities in manufacturing, finance, construction, telecoms and logistics. Its diverse economy is expected to deliver growth of between 6% and 10% annually over the next 5-10 years, supported by a large population of over 95m.

Sharjah is the UAE’s third-largest emirate with a population of almost 800,000 and a GDP of roughly $24bn. Government focus on education programmes and the development of a diversified economic base has helped support Sharjah’s robust growth in recent years while its relatively small oil and gas reserves mean the emirate has been less affected than many by the oil price-induced turbulence witnessed over the past two years.

The accession of King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud in January 2015 was the start of a new chapter for the Kingdom, and with the fall in global oil prices and continued regional turbulence there are undoubtedly challenges to be met. However, domestic stability, combined with the government’s commitment to major development projects and sustained focus on economic diversification, indicate a positive overall outlook for the country moving forward.