The manufacturing sector has recorded consistent growth in recent years, accounting for 13.7% of the emirate’s GDP in 2013. Free zones such as the Jebel Ali Free Zone and the Dubai Auto Zone continue to play an important role in the sector, with incentives helping to draw in international players. According to the Jebel Ali Free Zone Authority, its 625 automotive companies generated trade...
The emirate continues to benefit from well-developed telecommunications infrastructure with high penetration rates for both mobile and fixed-line services and a local population that is highly concentrated, tech-savvy, and global in both composition and outlook. With saturation rates reached in the local market, telecoms players are looking overseas for growth opportunities. The e-commerce...
The long-awaited introduction of compulsory medical insurance in Dubai took effect in September 2014, through the first stages of a phased implementation that will bring universal health coverage to all the emirate’s residents by 2016. The plan, which was approved by the government in late 2013, is expected to create new opportunities for insurers, though price...
In the UAE, insurance is licensed by the federal regulator for operators in all seven emirates, the Insurance Authority (IA). The sector is highly competitive, with 60 companies angling for business, according to the IA’s 2013 annual report, in a market where insurance has not yet gained popular acceptance as an essential financial service. Owing to a low penetration...
The government and private providers are investing to meet growing demand as the emirate estimates that the number of students attending private schools in Dubai will double from 183,000 in 2010 to 366,000 in 2020. Underpinning this sustained growth in school pupil numbers has been a shift in behaviour by the expatriate labour force in recent years from temporary stays to more permanent...
The rollout of universal health insurance commenced in October 2014 with the first of three deadlines for employers to ensure their staff are covered by health insurance, and is due to be completed by mid-2016. The universal cover will offer improved treatment options for many expatriate workers, while also enabling the government to make changes to funding mechanisms and priorities. A range...
Stay updated on how some of the world’s most promising markets are being affected by the Covid-19 pandemic, and what actions governments and private businesses are taking to mitigate challenges and ensure their long-term growth story continues.
Register now and also receive a complimentary 2-month licence to the OBG Research Terminal.
Register Here×