Construction

Major infrastructure projects and extensive plans to galvanise residential construction have fuelled demand for building materials in Saudi Arabia, prompting the government to intervene in the cement market for the second time in as many years. Steel, another vital building material, is also experiencing consistently high demand in the Kingdom.

Face à l’augmentation importante des dépenses publiques depuis 2009, les autorités gabonaises ont récemment décidé de créer l’Agence de régulation des marchés publics (ARMP) qui sera chargée de rationaliser et de superviser les achats publics.

Having begun to roll out a tourism master plan that puts the spotlight on natural and cultural assets, Brunei Darussalam is targeting an 8% increase in visitor numbers this year.

A number of new projects, concentrated on bolstering Oman’s infrastructure backbone, are currently filling the order books of domestic construction firms. However, some industry insiders have warned new regulations and a rising wages bill could see profit margins eroded even as activity increases.

After several years of strong demand growth, the economic slowdown and investment uncertainty associated with the 2011 revolution and its aftermath have dampened steel consumption in Egypt, leaving potential supply above demand. This gap partly explains the government’s decision to impose import tariffs, the rationale being that Egypt should not need imports if its domestic supply outstrips its own needs. For steel consumers, however, it is not necessarily that simple. They feel they should be free to import cheaper foreign products.

A rising tide of investments in infrastructure development, combined with higher spending by the private sector, is set to drive the robust expansion of the construction sector, and in particular, the cement production segment. However, prices could be pushed up by rising demand as a number of large new infrastructure projects are rolled out.