Industry

Recent years have seen increasing signs of the emergence of what has been dubbed a Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR), also known as Industry 4.0. This revolution relies on machine-to-machine communication, also sometimes known as the internet of things (IoT), 3D printing and artificial intelligence.

Oman’s industrial sector is a key pillar of its long-term development strategy, as well as a major employer and a steadily growing source of wealth. It covers a wide range of fields, including mining, petrochemicals, aluminium and organic beverages.

Since 1983, when the sultanate opened its first industrial estate at Rusayl in Muscat, specialised zones for manufacturing, heavy and light industry, IT, chemicals and pharmaceuticals have flourished. These now form part of Oman’s overall economic strategy, as it diversifies away from hydrocarbons by boosting alternative sectors. Employment is...

Political stability and continued economic growth are bringing about significant development in Côte d’ Ivoire’s retail sector. The Ivorian middle class is growing, currently representing over 2m of the country’s 23m inhabitants, according to government figures, and is attracting large flows of foreign direct investments to the consumer goods...

The global economy is entering the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR), or Industry 4.0, based on the application of new digital and automated technologies in production processes and service delivery. These changes are presenting emerging markets with opportunities such as improved productivity, as well as risks, namely reshoring and the...

Although civil conflict in the early 2000s led to years of deteriorating infrastructure, Côte d’Ivoire reversed the trend back to economic growth after the country stabilised its political situation in 2011. The economy has grown at a rate of 9% per year since 2011, in part due to the emergence of its burgeoning industrial sector. Côte d’...