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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.
Hydrocarbons revenues, specifically from liquefied natural gas, still form the bulk of Qatar’s national income. However, as the country moves forward with Qatar National Vision 2030 (QNV 2030), the government is increasingly seeking to diversify the economy away from hydrocarbons while investing in renewable solutions to meet the energy demands of the future.
The Philippine economy is gradually on the rise, largely driven by its business process outsourcing, industry and construction sectors. The average pace of growth in the Philippines in the first half of the decade was 6.3%, compared to 6% in Indonesia, 5.8% in Malaysia and Vietnam, and 3.6% in Thailand.
Hydrocarbons revenues still form the bulk of Abu Dhabi’s GDP and while falling prices are a concern, the emirate has been moving steadily towards its economic diversification targets in line with Abu Dhabi Economic Vision 2030. The past 10 years has seen the non-oil sector expand strongly on the back of business-friendly government policies, as a result of which non-oil sector growth now outpaces that of the oil sector.
A heavyweight within the West African Economic and Monetary Union, accounting for 35% of the eight-member region’s GDP, Côte d’Ivoire’s growth is a bellwether for Francophone West Africa. An ambitious government spending programme and a range of pro-business reforms are set to boost economic activity going forward.
As the region faces up to the challenge of the recent drop in oil prices, Bahrain’s fundamentals indicate the kingdom is well positioned to weather the dip. The focus on diversification goals outlined in Economic Vision 2030 is helping establish a more competitive and sustainable economy in the kingdom. The financial sector, which represents Bahrain’s second-largest GDP contributor, has continued to recover robustly since the global economic downturn.