The Middle East

After a period of rapid growth in 2008 and early 2009, the construction sector has settled into a more moderate pattern in recent years. However, 2012 began on a positive note; in January 2012 the Executive Council announced that it had approved a range of projects, including some that had previously been put on hold, covering housing, health care and education, in addition to major transport...

As it continues to develop and diversify its economy, transport is playing a central role in the long-term development of Abu Dhabi. Transport and storage contributed approximately Dh20.62bn ($5.6bn) to the emirate’s economy in 2011, or 2.6% of GDP. Aviation in particular is expanding rapidly; the UAE is set to invest $19bn on new aviation infrastructure as it positions itself as a regional...

The government of Abu Dhabi continues to invest in a series of large industrial developments as it endeavours to diversify the economy beyond hydrocarbons, a key aim of its Economic Vision 2030. In the coming five years, growth in the sector is likely to be driven primarily by expanded upstream activity. Aluminium is seen as a segment ripe for expansion, with a number of new companies setting up...

With rapid population growth and an increasingly diverse economy, demand for utilities – including electricity, water and wastewater services – has grown considerably in recent years. The sector will need to continue expanding at around 6-10% to meet growing water and electricity demand, meaning that utilities provision remains a top priority. Furthermore, while the vast majority of Abu Dhabi’s...

A string of investments in both conventional and alternative resources is ensuring that Abu Dhabi sits at the very centre of the global energy map. The UAE increased production by approximately 14.2% during 2011 to 3m bpd of crude and condensate, faster than any other country in the GCC region. Yet despite vast reserves promising more than 80 years of production at current rates and conditions,...

Local insurers in Abu Dhabi have weathered a turbulent two years, during which they have been compelled to make the transition from an era of rapid economic expansion to one of more muted growth. Yet the sector has met the challenge of declining investment income while continuing to show healthy profit – a clear indication of the air of optimism that currently prevails within the emirate’s...