All Countries and All Sectors

The government in Thailand is hailing a recent agreement with China as a significant step towards reducing its extensive rice stockpile. However, critics of the programme, which offers growers a minimum price for their crops, say that the deal with Beijing will put only a dent in Thailand’s so-called rice mountain.

Les efforts déployés par le gouvernement marocain pour encourager la croissance des exportations ont revêtu une importance sans précédent à l’heure où l’on prévoit une période difficile pour les marchés émergents qui affichent un lourd déficit courant.

Income from Kuwait’s hydrocarbons sector looks set to rise this year as the country ramps up oil production on the back of growing demand both locally and overseas, particularly from Asia.

With the Kingdom’s first solar plant scheduled for commission by the end of 2013, and the tender for a second renewable power plant to be announced in the coming months, Bahrain is one of many hydrocarbons producers investing in alternative fuel sources.

Private universities in Nigeria have shown promising growth and could help retain the thousands of students who have in recent years spent billions of dollars studying abroad. However, to ensure that growth in post-secondary enrolment continues, the increase in the number of private institutions is being matched by increased government investment – part of a broader shift to expand the skilled labour pool and improve employability.

The health care sector in Oman is set to undergo a major expansion, with both the government and the private sector investing in new “medical cities” as well as developing a number of smaller hospitals.