COMMUNICATIONS: The country code for the UAE is +971, followed by Sharjah’s dialling code 06. There are three local telecoms providers, du, Etisalat and Virgin Mobile. Pay as-you-go SIM cards for du, Etisalat and Virgin Mobile can be obtained at most shopping malls upon presentation of a valid passport. CURRENCY: The UAE dirham (Dh) is pegged to the US dollar at $1:Dh3.67. ATMs are widely…
Some 20 years after the Asian financial crisis brought many Southeast Asian nations to their knees, business sentiment is buoyant in a region that now functions as one of the primary engines of global growth, according to the results of our inaugural Business Barometer: OBG in ASEAN CEO Survey. Around 84% of executives surveyed across six ASEAN states – Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines,…
Business Barometer: OBG in ASEAN CEO Survey Copyright (c). All rights reserved. This survey has been designed to assess business sentiment amongst business leaders (Chief Executives orequivalent) and their outlook for the next 12 months. Unlike many surveys, the OBG Business Barometer is conducted by OBG staff on a face-to-face basis, across the full range of industries, company sizes and…
On acceleratinginfrastructure development in the region What do you think is driving the growing infrastructure gaps throughout emerging and developing economies in Asia? LEE: The three main driving forces are demographics, economics and politics, which are interdependent. If you look at demographics, you can see a lot of similarities between parts of Asia and Africa, where there is also…
Etiquette Dress Emiratis attach great importance to hospitality. Long greetings before a meeting, either business or social, are important. In Abu Dhabi it is common to give handshakes in business settings, but it is advisable not to shake a woman’s hand unless she initiates the gesture. Honorific titles also play an important role: one should use “His Excellency” for government ministers,…
A combination of tighter fiscal planning, a gradual increase in hydrocarbons prices and an improved performance by some non-oil sectors saw Brunei Darussalam shake off two years of contraction and lay the foundations for stronger growth in 2017. Budgeting for the new year The budget for FY 2016/17, which came into force on April 1, laid out total spending of BN$5.6bn…
The increasing focus on economic diversification and the ongoing growth of non-energy sectors bodes well for the economy, as does further exploration and improved efficiency in the oil and gas industry. Economy: Driving Diversification - Brunei Darussalam has launched a series of reforms in recent years aimed at accelerating development of non-energy sectors, including high-tech, agricultural…
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Diversity drive Page 18 Government revenues have declined as a result of the global oil market slowdown, and the 2016/17 budget reflects this. However, moves to increase foreign investment and support economic diversification also factor into the government’s spending plans, with non-oil growth becoming increasingly critical, as evidenced by allocations to education, infrastructure, and research…
