Malaysia’s natural resources and its well-educated population are some of the many credentials that keep the country in good stead, with priorities centred on preparing for the ASEAN Economic Community in 2015 and steering the policy framework toward more inclusive political representation. The economy is built around global trade, and the government is working to encourage greater private investment.
Home to an estimated 15.9% of the world’s proven oil reserves, Saudi Arabia is the single largest economy in the Middle East and North Africa. According to the Ministry of Finance, real GDP grew by 3.8% to $746bn in 2013. While oil income is expected to continue to account for the majority of government revenues for the foreseeable future, the non-oil sector has expanded significantly in recent decades growing 9.3% in 2013.
The only monarchy in North Africa, Morocco has one of the more diversified GDP mixes in the region, and the mainstays of the economy include agriculture, tourism, and the textiles industry; higher-end manufacturing, IT and communications, and outsourcing are also all becoming increasingly important. The past few years have seen some significant changes, yet the kingdom has remained stable, even amidst the broader regional turmoil.
Significant strides have been made in improving health indicators, particularly in terms of maternal and child mortality rates. Costs, however, are likely to remain a major obstacle, with out-of-pocket expenditure accounting for approximately 53% of spending on health care. A 2011 constitutional amendment enshrined access to health care as a basic right and the authorities are working to...
Despite education spending in line with OECD standards, the quality of Mexico’s school system has lagged significantly behind the organisation’s other members. In large part this has been due to a powerful teachers’ union, which has traditionally stood in the way of efforts to reform the sector. Having made considerable advances in extending coverage, particularly at the basic education level...
As the government attempts to open strategic sectors of the economy to competition and attract more foreign direct investment (FDI), much is also being done to improve science and research as a means to spur innovation. Increased spending, coupled with changes in regulation, is expected to fuel the growth of start-ups and make the business environment more dynamic. The current government has...
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