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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...

For much of its history, Bahrain was the name for the eastern coast of Arabia. Bahrain means “two seas” in Arabic, and although it is unclear which two seas the name refers to, it has recently come to identify the 33 natural islands of the Awal archipelago.

GCC countries have long appreciated the importance of education for their sustained development. However, the sector, and higher education in particular, has risen as a priority over the past decade with the launch of ambitious economic diversification plans across the region. These strategies seek to harness the potential of the GCC’s...

Although the country’s humid climate hinders the preservation of biological remains, archaeological finds suggest that humans may have inhabited areas that became Côte d’Ivoire as early as the Neolithic period, from 15,000 BCE onwards. The first recorded history, however, comes from Berber merchants from North Africa who plied trans-Saharan...

Global trade faces protectionist headwinds that are dampening the outlook for growth in the coming years. According to the World Trade Organisation (WTO), trade volume grew by 4.7% in 2017 and is expected to have moderated slightly to 4.4% in 2018 and dip to 4% in 2019. Although this means growth will fall below the 4.8% average seen since...