Latest in Tag: Oxford Business Group Highlight
Latest in Tag: Oxford Business Group

Egypt tourism to recover âmodestlyâ in 2014: Oxford Business Group
Lifting travel alerts to Egypt will reassure potential visitors, but will not guarantee a surge in arrivals, report says

Egypt Year in Review 2013
The year was coloured by unrest, with widespread protests against President Mohammed Morsi followed by his removal and the installation of a new interim government, which subsequently saw additional demonstrations.

Egypt: Health sector looks for private help
However, while advances have been made in basic public health, further expansion will require greater investment from both the state and private industry, if the country is to address challenges weighing on the sector

Egypt: Banks attracting Gulf investors
By Robert Tashima Despite an uncertain political climate and a sluggish economic recovery, the long-term prospects of Egyptian banks are attracting attention from their Gulf counterparts. Two recently announced acquisitions have brought the sector back into the headlines on a positive note, helping offset a recent ratings downgrade. While the transactions also represent the …
Egypt: Facing economic challenges
By Oxford Business Group CAIRO: The New Year sees a very different Egypt from the one that welcomed the opening of 2011, being in the process of instituting multi-party democracy, while trying to reshape the national economy. However, many hurdles still have to be overcome to ensure social, economic and political stability. 2011 will be remembered …
Egypt: Taking matters into its own hands
By Oxford Business Group With its recently passed budget for the 2011/12 fiscal year, Egypt has established a revised set of ambitious targets for tackling its public expenditures. Having rebuffed aid offers from several international organizations and countries, the move is a sign that the country will steer clear of a rising budget deficit on its …
Sharjah: On the radar
By Oxford Business Group The outlook for 2011 is one of correction and consolidation for Sharjahâs real estate sector. The market should slowly start to pick up, though recovery is expected to be modest in the shorter term before gaining momentum. According to data issued by the Sharjah Real Estate Information Service in mid-November, rental …
Dubai: Building recovery
By Oxford Business Group Dubaiâs construction sector is still dealing with the fallout of the global recession. Some segments are experiencing gathering momentum while others may have to look beyond 2011 before demand picks up and confidence returns. An oversupply of residential and commercial properties has resulted in the sector redressing the speed with which …
Bahrain: Encouraging entrepreneurship
By Oxford Business Group A renewed focus on entrepreneurship is at the heart of Bahrainâs efforts to diversify its economy and achieve the goals outlined in its long-term development plan, Economic Vision 2030. In a sign of its commitment to promoting entrepreneurship, the country hosted the 10th International Entrepreneurship Forum on January 10-11, the first time …
Algeria: Highs and lows in education
By Oxford Business Group This has been a historic year for the Algerian education sector, with a record percentage of students passing national exams and government initiatives expanding schooling subsidies. However, teachers continue to call for changes and have threatened to strike. In July, the government reported that the percentage of students who had passed …
Saudi Arabia: Playing it safe
By Oxford Business Group The companies listed on the Saudi Stock Exchange, or Tadawul, have a joint value of some $320 billion. However, unlike most of the bourses operated by its neighbours, Saudi Arabiaâs stock market is only now cautiously opening up to direct foreign trading. Currently, foreign investors have limited avenues by which they can …
Jordan: Healthy growth
By Oxford Business Group Jordan is fast turning medical tourism into a mainstay of the kingdomâs economy, with the sector likely to soon turn a healthy profit thanks to the high levels of public and private investment in hospitals, medical facilities and staff training. Jordan is well established in the medical tourism sector, having welcomed foreign …
Lebanon: Moment of truth
By Oxford Business Group While Lebanonâs economy has performed soundly over the past year, there are lingering concerns that political instability could weaken investor confidence in the capital markets, unwinding economic progress made in the last year. The political climate has become increasingly heated in the past few months due to a standoff between Shia movement …
Egypt’s formula for growth
By Oxford Business Group CAIRO: Legal wrangling over a new pricing plan for Egyptâs pharmaceuticals has not dampened confidence in the sector, with rising domestic demand expected to ensure robust profits over the next decade. The Ministry of Health last year introduced a new drug-pricing regime under which brand-named drugs were priced 10 percent lower than …
Abu Dhabi: Green ambitions
By Oxford Business Group While Abu Dhabi is introducing a series of green initiatives, like other rapidly developing cities it faces challenges in reducing its carbon footprint over the short term. For the municipality this means turning Abu Dhabi into a location rich in green areas that are increasingly nourished by recycled water. “Sustainability is the …
Morocco: Positive tale for retail
By Oxford Business Group Moroccoâs retail sector is set to undergo a major shift in the coming years as large-scale purpose-built retail areas become more prevalent but moves away from traditional small-scale shops to massive retail malls may be slowed by incremental growth in consumer spending. The retail sector is a major contributor to the economy, …
Syria: Gearing up for IT
By Oxford Business Group Although tourists might head straight to Souk Al-Hamidiyya, in fact, one of the biggest souks in Damascus these days is unquestionably Souk Al-Bahsa. It might lack the formerâs picturesque charm, but here youâll find talented young merchants selling software and hardware at knock-down prices. In many ways Souk Al-Bahsa is a testament …
Egypt looks to make the grade
By Oxford Business Group CAIRO: Moves to encourage greater private investment in education in Egypt could provide an important boost to the country, bringing in resources and supporting ongoing reform efforts. Education is a key area in which Egypt is seeking higher levels of foreign investment, Minister of Trade and Industry Rachid Mohamed Rachid, who is …
Jordan: Industrial evolution
By Oxford Business Group State support and incentives combined with growing confidence in the local economy are helping Jordanâs manufacturing industries deal with challenges being caused by globalization. Manufacturing industries currently contribute around 16 percent to gross domestic product (GDP) but will likely fall as the share of services and information and communications technology grows in …
Bahrain: Improving the flow
By Oxford Business Group Major upgrades to the kingdomâs ports and roads as part of a long-term drive to strengthen logistics are raising the prospects of job creation and the interest of foreign investors. Last month the General Organization of Sea Ports (GOP) invited bids for the construction of a service zone at the Khalifa bin …
Morocco: Paths to progress
By Oxford Business Group Optimism in Moroccoâs business environment, seen in recent World Bank plaudits for its measures to protect investors, is likely to be further boosted by a series of major transport infrastructure projects that are under way. Speaking at a World Economic Forum conference held in Marrakech in October, Karim Ghellab, equipment and transport …
Dubai: Confidence boost
By Oxford Business Group There are signs that Dubai is hitting the road to recovery, with investors once again eyeing the benefits of the emirateâs foreign direct investment (FDI) credentials and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) predicting a modest growth rate of 0.5 percent this year. A robust recovery by Asia has impacted positively on Dubaiâs …
Kuwait: Towards a healthy future
By Oxford Business Group While Kuwaitâs rapid modernization over the past two decades has seen a rise in life expectancies and a decline in illness rates, the changes in lifestyle associated with rising wealth have created their own set of challenges. In early November the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) released its latest human development index …
RAK: Ready for take-off
By Oxford Business Group The relaunch of Ras Al Khaimahâs national air carrier, RAK Airways, in October came as major upgrades of roads, ports and the airport are under way as part of the emirateâs plans to become a regional transport centre and increase exports. RAK Airways suspended operations a year ago in the wake of …
Lebanon: Balancing act on debt
By Oxford Business Group Lebanonâs government has been urged by a multilateral lender to strengthen its public finances, upgrade infrastructure and improve the business environment to sustain recent macroeconomic progress. However, servicing the nationâs vast public debt is a constant drain on the funds needed for many of these initiatives. In its latest assessment of the …