With just 1.63m people, Gabon is the second-smallest member of the six-country Central African Economic and Monetary Community in terms of population, after Equatorial Guinea. However, the country’s well-developed hydrocarbons sector has made Gabon the second-largest economy in the sub-region.
This chapter contains an outline of the legal framework in which local and foreign investors operate. It also contains information on the new companies law, regulations regarding the conduct of boards of directors and moves to protect minority shareholders. This chapter also contains an interview with Alex Saleh, Partner, Al Tamimi & Co.
With a growing population and a rise in the incidence of non-communicable diseases placing greater demands on health services, efforts are being made to boost capacity in Kuwait’s health care services. As some $3.2bn in projects are planned, the private sector can look forward to a greater number of partnerships with the government. Efforts to tackle lifestyle diseases will intensify, especially as privatisation frees up new resources to be dedicated to Kuwaiti nationals and as public awareness of the issue rises. This chapter contains an interview with Qais Marafie, CEO, Kuwait Life Sciences Company.
Kuwait’s public education system now enrols some 60% of the nation’s nearly 600,000 pupils, although private education continues to be popular. To address the demand currently putting pressure on tertiary institutions, a second public university is set to open in 2015. Meanwhile, public institutions are seeking to address the nation’s deficiencies in research and development, while at the same time ensuring that students are equipped with the skills needed to meet the challenges of the 21st century and address disparities in the labour market. This chapter contains an interview with Fahad Al Othman, Chairman, American University of the Middle East.
As one of the world’s most affluent societies, Kuwait is home to a growing and diversifying retail sector. With strong economic fundamentals and a steady increase in consumer purchasing power, retail in Kuwait is on a sure foundation. On the back of this, mall space is set to expand, as is the food and beverages segment, driven by the prosperous and young generation that is boosting spending and doing more shopping online.
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