Economy

While many markets struggled with debt and fall-out from the world economic crisis in 2011, Indonesia bucked global trends by recording its fastest rate of growth in 15 years. Buoyed by strong domestic demand and huge resource wealth, Indonesia’s economy grew 6.46% last year, making it a magnet for investors who have also been attracted by its macroeconomic stability.

Recent weeks have seen the Sultanate take some important steps in boosting trade ties with both regional friends and more distant allies. This recent flurry of international links will be good for Brunei Darussalam’s trade position, and may also stand the Sultanate in good stead as it prepares to chair the Association of South-east Asian Nations (ASEAN) in 2013.

Egypt’s government is working to obtain support for a new economic reform package it has prepared to qualify for a $3.2bn loan from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), though it may be a difficult task to convince opposition leaders and the public to back the plan.

Hopes are rising that January’s elections will end a period of economic uncertainty and allow the newly elected government to focus on increasing levels of foreign direct investment (FDI). Concern was mounting that Kuwait risked falling behind its regional rivals in attracting investment and diversifying its economy, despite surging oil revenues and solid growth last year.

January’s revelation that the Philippines’ economy grew 3.7% in 2011 came as the government and central bank announced new measures to further boost growth. Indeed, President Benigno Aquino’s administration plans to spend its way through current economic challenges, refocusing on domestic − rather than foreign − markets.

The Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM), the country’s central bank, has put in place a series of new measures aimed at boosting the competitiveness of the national economy and in particular its financial sector. It is hoped this set of reforms will help ease the impact of the European debt crisis and the threat of a further bout of uncertainty in global markets.