Featured by OBG
While known primarily for its vast gas reserves prior to 2010, Qatar’s global profile received a major boost that year when it was chosen to host the 2022 FIFA World Cup, leading to a significant increase in infrastructure development throughout the country. Qatar is now leveraging its natural resources to become a knowledge-based, diversified economy, and it is looking to attract greater foreign direct investment to further develop its non-oil growth engines, such as tourism, sports, financial services, technology, real estate and logistics.
Malaysia is enjoying uninterrupted momentum in attracting investment and trade flows destined for South-east Asia. As a leading trading nation it has the necessary infrastructure and determination to compete and partner with its ASEAN neighbors to create a more sustainable growth model.
Sri Lanka’s investment environment is set to become more balanced, transparent and predictable, with the elections of 2015 largely heralded as a win for inclusive governance, providing a fresh five-year mandate for an administration committed to economic revolution. As the country looks to broaden its investor base, it is hoped that policy changes and plans brought in by the new government will attract the added investment needed to help the country reach its growth goals.
Thanks to business-friendly government policies implemented over the past 10 years Abu Dhabi is now home to a rapidly diversifying economy that is among the largest in the region, with GDP reaching a total of Dh952.68bn ($259.32bn) at current prices in 2014.
Tunisia has been going through a watershed period in its modern history, with the revolution of 2011 bringing much-needed change and reform. While the country has avoided much of the instability of the wider region, it has nonetheless undergone a spell of turbulence, testing the country’s newly found democratic bonds.
The second-largest economy in ASEAN after Indonesia, Thailand has developed a positive international reputation on the back of its pro-investment policies and well-developed infrastructure, standing as one of the most liberalised and business-friendly markets in the region.