The Middle East

Dubai has emerged as a regional centre for the media industry over the past decade. Indeed, the resilience of the media through the recent economic crisis points to strong fundamentals that will continue to support the sector as it moves forward. Overall, revenues for the first nine months of 2012 in the region amounted to some $12.7bn, a 22% increase over the same period in 2011. While in many...

In line with the goals laid out in the Dubai Strategic Plan 2015, industrial growth has done much to lead economic development and diversification. Although significant challenges like debt refinancing and regional competition could arise in the future, both the government and the private sector have proven their resilience in recent years. In particular, the manufacturing sector has seen strong...

Dubai is well placed to capitalise on emerging trends in the ICT sector to drive economic growth. Indeed, information and communications technology is central to the emirate’s strategy to develop further as a knowledge-based economy. As a result, IT expenditure is expected to continue to expand rapidly, with a compound annual growth rate exceeding 11% until 2016. Digital storage solutions,...

Leveraging its tremendous economic growth and high per capita income, Dubai has developed a robust health care system that provides a high level of medical services to its citizens. The Dubai Health Authority, responsible for the regulatory and strategic oversight of health services in the emirate outside the health care free zone, is further strengthening the sector through strategic...

Developed in 2010 and initiated in 2011, the Dubai Integrated Energy Strategy 2030 aims to guide the emirate’s energy sector toward sustainability and enhanced efficiency. Like other energy importers, Dubai faces challenges, including potential price fluctuations. By investing wisely when domestic supplies were abundant, however, much has already been accomplished to solidify the emirate’s...

With wholesale and retail trade making up 30.7% of the emirate’s GDP in 2011, Dubai has become the Middle East’s chief retail centre. The emirate is home to one of the largest malls in the world, has a massive domestic consumption of retail goods and boasts a reputation as a prime shopping destination among well-heeled tourists. Despite a hiccup in numbers after the 2008-09 global financial...