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Despite heightened regional uncertainty stemming from the 2026 Iran conflict, Qatar continues to demonstrate economic resilience, supported by its position as one of the world’s leading LNG exporters, strong fiscal fundamentals and prudent policymaking. While short-term disruption has affected energy exports, trade and logistics, the country remains committed to advancing the objectives of Qatar National Vision 2030 and the Third National Development Strategy 2024-30 through sustained investment, economic diversification and structural reform. Continued progress across finance, industry, digital technology, infrastructure and tourism is reinforcing Qatar’s long-term competitiveness, while its growing diplomatic and economic influence strengthens its position as a trusted regional partner and global investment destination.
While reduced oil prices are undoubtedly a concern for the emirate’s authorities, economic diversification efforts of recent years mean Abu Dhabi is well placed to weather a prolonged period of subdued prices. Vision 2030 meanwhile contains a raft of goals that will further reduce the emirate’s reliance on hydrocarbons, and continue to foster the emergence of a more sustainable and knowledge-based economy in the years ahead.
Positioned between west and east Asia, Sri Lanka sits on a major maritime route between Europe and the Far East and its natural resources have made it a trading centre for millennia.
Following a landmark peace agreement and a late-2016 tax reform package, 2017 looks to be a year of significant promise for Colombia. The country has been in recovery since the 2014 collapse in oil prices, which predominantly affected exports, government revenues and the exchange rate. However, with the external sector acting as a shock absorber, the authorities helped ensure that domestic demand was able to pick up some of the slack.
Despite gloomy global trade forecasts, the Philippines’ strong macroeconomic fundamentals, competitive geographical and labour force advantages, and rising domestic consumption bode well for future trade and investment.
The past two years have seen the Tunisian economy follow a gentle upward trajectory – one that falls short of the pace of expansion needed to reduce poverty and improve the revenue base, but that nonetheless exhibits a marked improvement over previous years.
