More Filters
There were 543 results found for:

All Regions and All Sectors

Analysis

Partnerships with international oil companies help Brunei Darussalam cope with natural gas price drop

Posted OBG AdminPosted in Uncategorized

Brunei Darussalam was a pioneer in the liquefied natural gas (LNG) sector during the 1970s, building a large-scale liquefaction plant and developing long-standing export ties to key markets in Japan and South Korea, leading to robust industry expansion and a substantial augmentation of its petroleum revenue base. However, both production and export of LNG has fallen in recent years, as ongoing maintenance…
Analysis

Brunei Darussalam prioritises renewable energy to confront climate change

Posted OBG AdminPosted in Uncategorized

Although its dominant oil and gas sector will likely remain at the forefront of economic growth over the medium term, Brunei Darussalam has prioritised sector diversification and development of renewable energy projects in recent years, as highlighted by the 2014 “Energy White Paper”, as well as a climate change plan released prior to the COP21 UN Conference on Climate Change, hosted in Paris in…
Analysis

Brunei Darussalam identifies new avenues for growth and collaboration with ASEAN partners in energy

Posted OBG AdminPosted in Uncategorized

In a bid to diversify its economy, bolster future earnings from oil and gas revenues, and support ASEAN integration, Brunei Darussalam has joined a number of regional initiatives in recent years, with the goal of reducing consumption and increasing the use of renewable energy over the next decade. Regional cooperation in renewables development is becoming increasingly common for Brunei Darussalam’s…
Analysis

Subsidies have long been a staple, but Brunei Darussalam is encouraging its citizens to reduce consumption

Posted OBG AdminPosted in Uncategorized

Although nearly all residents of Brunei Darussalam are connected to the electricity grid and benefit from a well-developed, reliable and low-priced utilities system, electricity consumption per capita in the Sultanate is among the highest in the world, while difficulties in accessing new power supply have hindered expansion of some industrial enterprises in recent years. Residential consumers continue…
Analysis

Halal development cluster to unlock local industry potential in Brunei Darussalam

Posted OBG AdminPosted in Uncategorized

One of the two specialised industrial zones currently being run by Darussalam Enterprises, the country’s latest business support service, is the Brunei Bio-Innovation Corridor (BIC). The $300m BIC seeks to raise the Sultanate’s profile in the fast-expanding global halal industry. Figures from Thomson Reuters suggest that this market has a potential value of $2.3trn, breaking down into $1.37trn…
Analysis

New policies aim to shore up banking sector in Brunei Darussalam

Posted OBG AdminPosted in Uncategorized

With oil and gas prices currently experiencing a sustained low, the Sultanate’s economy has been facing some challenging times. Declines in GDP and a shrinking of government revenues and expenditures have also affected the banking sector, as consumers and businesses act more cautiously and the need for project financing dwindles. Yet the Sultanate’s banking sector is also seen by many as the key…
Analysis

Islamic bonds expand Brunei Darussalam's financial base

Posted OBG AdminPosted in Uncategorized

Brunei Darussalam made headlines in April 2016 with the announcement of several sukuk (Islamic bond) offerings ahead of the launch of a standalone stock exchange in the Sultanate. Efforts to expand the scope of the financial sector are aimed at ensuring a greater diversity of public and private sector financing, specifically in support of businesses and infrastructure projects. A roadmap of financial…
Analysis

Regional efforts to standardise and liberalise the insurance market impact Brunei Darussalam

Posted OBG AdminPosted in Uncategorized

The year 2016 marks the first year of operation for the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC), while it is also an important milestone in the creation of another, even larger international trading group, the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP). The Sultanate has been a key supporter of both groupings, as well as a long-time member of another regional organisation, the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation. This dense…
Analysis

Building a local workforce in Brunei Darussalam's ICT sector

Posted OBG AdminPosted in Uncategorized

Despite a well-funded education system and a number of ICT skills development programmes, Brunei Darussalam’s ICT-sector workforce could benefit from better alignment with industry requirements. In addition, adding a focus on up-skilling and expanding the competencies of current ICT specialists would help to grow it into a sector that is able to create and maintain employment opportunities for Bruneians. Personnel…
Analysis

Government efforts to reduce car dependency in Brunei Darussalam

Posted OBG AdminPosted in Uncategorized

As private car ownership proliferates in the Brunei Darussalam, its streets and highways are becoming increasingly congested, and road-related injuries and fatalities are a growing trend. The Sultanate’s reliance on the automobile has been blamed on a lack of public transport, attractive deals and loan options on vehicle purchases, and low petrol prices – as of April 2016, one litre of petrol cost…