The Middle East

As one of the world’s largest consumers of water and electricity on a per capita basis, Qatar is looking to reduce its utilities usage. However, with the demand for water likely to outstrip supply in the near future, the government is also taking steps to boost capacity.

The latest data show that Kuwait’s GDP growth in 2012 was driven by a rapid rise in the oil sector, although the non-oil economy showed improvement. An uptick in consumer sentiment is set to support continued expansion in 2013, but Standard & Poor’s (S&P) says that long-term growth may be hampered by the government’s inability to meet its investment goals.

Long one of the driving forces of Turkey’s economy, the construction industry appears to be slowing down, with questions surrounding project financing and interest rate hikes dampening the sector’s outlook.

The announcement that the state will sell more than a quarter of its holdings in Oman Telecommunications Company (Omantel) could bring changes to a market facing challenging conditions and increased competition.

Growth in Saudi Arabia appears to be gathering pace, with a rise in oil production and continued strong consumer demand likely to boost GDP in the second half of the year. While inflationary pressures could arise as a result, analysts expect any price increases to be moderate over 2013.

The government in Dubai has launched a new online public services initiative, designed to make access easier and faster. Known as Dubai Smart Government (DSG), the scheme replaces the existing e-government system and is set to open digital doors to a broad range of business opportunities.