The Middle East

The global financial crisis hit Dubai hard. Local government-backed investment companies were overextended and had taken on a high level of risk during the years of readily available capital from international banks, many of which had assumed the government would guarantee every deal. Exact figures vary, but estimates suggest that Dubai firms...

Over the past four decades Dubai has become one of the most important economic centres in the Middle East and a key destination for investors, tourists and corporations from around the world. The emirate boasts a diversified economy, an open business environment, and a multinational population and workforce, all of which have contributed to its...

The fundamental legal framework of the sultanate is laid out in the Basic Statute of the State (Royal Decree 101/1996, as amended), which is essentially Oman’s constitution. All primary legislation is issued by His Majesty the Sultan pursuant to royal decrees, which are published in the bimonthly Official...

As a source of technical knowledge and skills, the six regional colleges of technology and one higher college of technology run by Oman’s Ministry of Manpower perform a crucial role with respect to the nation’s labour market. The diplomas, higher diplomas and bachelor’s degrees they offer have enabled Omanis to engage with the new technologies...

Steeped in history but with an eye to the future, the northernmost governorate of Musandam is on a development path that will entice both discerning tourists and investors seeking access to the Gulf. In line with the Sultan’s directive to provide essential services infrastructure to all regions, several projects have been initiated in the...

Although relatively isolated in Oman’s southern region of Dhofar, the city of Salalah has become a major hub for trans-shipment. Built in the late 1990s, the Port of Salalah is Oman’s largest seaport and among the 30 biggest container ports in the world.