All Countries and All Sectors

Brunei Darussalam has moved to further streamline the approval process for construction and land development projects to boost foreign investment and encourage local builders. However, government initiatives to improve workplace conditions and regulations will require construction firms to comply with tighter environmental protection requirements.

Mongolia’s mining sector is riding high, with the vast Tavan Tolgoi “five hills” coal mine expected to start exports and secure an international partner in the next few months. Meanwhile, a large copper and gold mine is set to start producing ahead of schedule. However, a confusing outcome to an investment agreement signed over Tavan Tolgoi has weighed on investor confidence recently.

La industria agrícola, tan vital para el sustento de los peruanos (representa aproximadamente un tercio del empleo total y el 9% de las exportaciones), contribuye en un 8% al PBI del país. El sector tiene el potencial de convertirse en el huerto de una población mundial en crecimiento, si se puede vencer obstáculos clave como la irrigación y el uso de la tierra.

State-controlled natural gas distributor Perusahaan Gas Negara (PGN) has objected to calls for a potential price increase from its upstream suppliers. At the same time, the distributor, facing rising domestic demand and an irregular supply, is considering new sources of natural gas, including the purchase of blocks in North Sumatra.

Malaysia’s automotive insurance sector has seen several important improvements in the past few months, with the industry’s regulator issuing a series of directives designed to strengthen policyholder protection, rationalise costs and speed claims processing. The industry has generally welcomed these changes, though some experts have suggested that full compliance could be hard to achieve.

Saudi Arabia’s petrochemicals industry is about to get a massive boost, with a new $20bn plant in the works and extensive state spending on infrastructure set to further improve the nation’s logistics backbone. Before the full benefits are realised, however, the sector may have to endure a down period as the recovery of the global economy continues to falter.