All Countries and All Sectors

The recent strengthening of bilateral ties between Malaysia and Singapore bodes well for their construction sectors, as several planned projects between the two countries should bring lucrative business opportunities to both. A foreseen labour shortage in Malaysia, however, could stymie some projects’ development.

With GDP growth for 2011 expected to have hit more than 6% and home to a growing and savvy population, the future of Indonesia’s retail sector looks promising, though there are concerns that a recent influx of mall building has glutted the market temporarily.

The public and private sectors of Ras Al Khaimah (RAK) are combining to combat one of the greatest health problems facing the emirate – diabetes – with both the cause and the effects of the illness being targeted. According to data from the International Diabetes Federation (IDF), more than 32.5m people in the Middle East have developed diabetes, a figure the organisation says will jump by 80% by 2030.

L’ouverture tant attendue d’une nouvelle usine d'assemblage de véhicules au mois de février, dans l'une des zones franches du pays, témoigne de l’expansion de la base industrielle marocaine, à l’heure où le pays cherche à développer les secteurs de l’automobile et des composants automobiles dans le cadre du Pacte national pour l'émergence industrielle 2009-15.

The real estate market in Abu Dhabi is continuing to undergo a period of correction, with prices flat, slower demand and more supply expected to come to market in 2012. But while the market is expected to remain subdued in the near future, new real estate laws anticipated in 2012 could improve the situation in the longer term.

As the Middle East and North Africa’s top health tourism destination, according to the World Bank, Jordan and its medical tourism sector are looking for ways to regain their competitive edge after regional unrest in 2011 impacted revenues. To confront declining medical tourist numbers, Jordan will host two major international health expos in 2012 and will also be promoting its Dead Sea region.