The Middle East

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...

Since 2008 Dubai’s tourism sector has once again become a major economic contributor, following a downturn in the global economic crisis. In 2011 the industry attracted more than 9.3m tourists – up about 10% from the previous year – and contributed some 31% of the emirate’s total GDP. In the last couple of years political upheaval in the region has seen visitor numbers to popular tourist...

Dubai’s real estate market is poised for improvement in 2013, as the emirate works to regain its reputation as a leading regional destination for investment. Recovering from the losses suffered in the aftermath of the 2008-09 global economic downturn - when property prices fell by as much as 50-60% - the residential real estate market is now forecast to greatly benefit from rapid population...