All Countries and All Sectors

In a move that should pave the way for renewed growth in the minerals sector, The Philippines has lifted a moratorium on issuing new mining exploration permits. However, the end of the ban may not lead to the surge of new investments the government is hoping for, as local and foreign investors are likely to be cautious as they assess the impact of new capitalisation requirements and tax regulations.

A landmark flight from Baghdad that touched down in late February at Kuwait International Airport looks set to usher in a new era of stronger economic ties between the two Gulf neighbours. The resumption of direct air-travel between Iraq's capital and Kuwait, which is building on a steadily rising flow of traffic between the two countries, spells good news for business leaders.

While growth in Brunei Darussalam’s economy has slowed in recent years, a rising contribution from the non-oil and gas sectors, particularly agriculture, indicates that efforts to accelerate diversification are producing results.

A new deal between local telecommunications firms and the Turkish government is expected to see the introduction of a new 4G network in Turkey by 2016. This move has been hotly anticipated by telecoms operators, as they will be able to expand their services and offer new products that take advantage of the improved network speeds.

As evidenced by the constant hum of diesel generators across the country, electricity in Nigeria is a big issue, with low generating capacity having long hampered growth. However, sizable progress has been made over the past month to reverse this trend, with reforms to Nigeria’s power sector underway and efforts to almost double electricity production by the end of 2013 boding well for consumers.

With arrivals on the increase from both well-established and new markets, 2013 looks set to be another record-breaking year for Thailand’s tourism industry. However, while the sector’s size has earned the tourism industry a place on the global top-20 list, officials believe the country could still close the gap on its rivals by becoming more competitive in key areas.