Economy

As it looks to have its 18-year-old Customs union with Europe rewritten in mid-2014, Turkey says it is at a disadvantage under some terms of the agreement, in particular through trade pacts between the EU and third parties.

As the 2013/14 fiscal year drew to a close, the IMF expressed its optimistic outlook for Qatar for the upcoming year, following a recent visit. That report – combined with a cheery business sentiment survey from the private sector and a jump in 2013 profits for Qatar Exchange-listed firms – reflects refreshed momentum for the Gulf nation, despite ongoing global economic uncertainty and regional tensions, both in the Middle East and Europe.

Au cours des cinq dernières années, le Maroc a enregistré une hausse constante de ses déficits « jumeaux » (budgétaire et commercial), principalement en raison du ralentissement prolongé de l’activité économique en Europe, partenaire commercial de premier ordre et source majeure d’investissement direct à l’étranger pour le pays.

The 2014/15 budget for Brunei Darussalam, which came into effect on April 1, has a strong business focus, seeking to promote investment, stimulate and support private sector growth, and help provide the tools and skills needed to sustain economic development and diversity.

Strengthened by new deals in the transport, energy and agri-business sectors, foreign direct investment (FDI) in Indonesia’s East Java province has shown promising growth in recent years. Although the majority of FDI in Indonesia is sourced from other Asian nations, European investment has grown steadily since 2010, with East Java now poised to benefit from recently strengthened trade ties with the Netherlands.

Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott flew into Port Moresby in late March accompanied by an A-list of his country’s business leaders, with trade and investment on their minds. And, after a loaded and complicated agenda, he left three days later with an economic treaty and the basis of potentially the most productive relationship Australia and Papua New Guinea have enjoyed in years.