The Report Dubai 2016

Financial services in particular is one non-oil area where the emirate is starting to pull ahead, with recent growth in the Islamic financial services segment fuelling the emirate's ambition of becoming the knowledge-based capital of the Islamic economy in the future. Meanwhile, Dubai's real estate and construction sectors, which were badly affected by the 2008 financial meltdown, are once again thriving as the legacies of the global crisis recede, and the debts incurred from that time are repaid and restructured. Indeed Dubai is now firmly focused on the future, with preparations for Dubai Expo 2020 in particular helping nourish its economic recovery, development and growth in recent years. The event is expected to attract 25m visitors over a six-month period and the build-up is driving development across several sectors. The preparations,

Subdued oil prices prompted a trimmed federal budget for 2016 as the UAE, like other countries in the region, tightened its belt in response to falling hydrocarbons revenues. However, a sustained focus on economic diversification and targeted investment in Abu Dhabi’s key non-oil sectors in recent years means the emirate is well positioned to weather the storm. Looking forward, plans for future development are mapped out in Abu Dhabi Economic Vision 2030, a comprehensive economic policy document that aims to reduce dependence on oil and gas, thereby creating a more sustainable knowledge-based economy for the emirate and its inhabitants. Aided by hydrocarbons reserves that are among the world’s largest and substantial financial resources, Abu Dhabi has built up a strong foundation to become a regional leader and an increasingly important global player in a wide variety of sectors, including oil and gas, financial services, health care, aviation and renewable energy.

Possessing limited oil and gas resources by regional standards, the emirate of Sharjah has worked hard to develop a more thoroughly diversified economic profile in order to drive growth. Efforts have evidently paid off, with its GDP increasing by more than 32% between 2010 and 2015, fuelled largely by its strong manufacturing and logistics industries. Another major growth area is financial services, which accounted for 10.3% of GDP in 2015 having grown by an average of 12.7% per year over the past half-decade. The UAE’s third-largest economy after Dubai and Abu Dhabi, Sharjah has also established itself as a leading centre of higher education in the region with its sprawling University City and the 1997 founding of two of the UAE’s most prestigious higher education institutions, the University of Sharjah and the American University of Sharjah. Another economic engine is tourism, as Sharjah is a key regional destination for family-oriented and cultural visits, attracting large numbers of arrivals from the Gulf, Europe and Asia.

In recent years, the Emirate of Dubai has been placing a stronger emphasis on people’s well-being with the aim of making Dubai “an inclusive and cohesive society (...) that is the preferred place to live, work and visit and a pivotal hub in the global economy”. Within the education sector, KHDA and private schools have introduced a number of initiatives to help raise awareness, measure and support students’ and staff’s well-being.

Qatar's sizeable oil and natural gas reserves have underpinned its rapid economic growth over the past two decades. Home to the world's largest non-associated gas field, the country is the world's fourth-largest producer of dry natural gas and the largest producer of liquefied natural gas, with hydrocarbons revenues forming the bulk of national income as a result. Although the drop in global energy prices has impacted export revenues, rigorous economic diversification drives in recent years have paid dividends, and in 2015 non-hydrocarbons growth reached 7.7%, compared to a 0.1% contraction for hydrocarbons growth during the same period. The country's financial sector has continued to evolve; Islamic banking in particular has witnessed significant progress. Meanwhile,

The Arab world has engaged in public relations for thousands of years, and the public relations literature provides multiple examples extending from ancient times. However, modern public relations is much more vaguely defined. This is partly because the research surrounding public relations practice in the Middle East remains sparse, especially in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries. This book presents a clear picture of contemporary PR practice in this region, providing a background on the evolution of public relations in each GCC country. It shows how environmental factors (historical, cultural, socio-political, and economic) influence practice in the region. It also contributes to public relations scholarship, education, and practice worldwide by providing new perspectives to those unfamiliar with its practice in this region. This book will benefit scholars and practitioners alike through its informed analysis of the strengths and weaknesses of practice in the GCC countries, as well as being of great benefit to the development of professional practice in the region.