REPORT From vision to reality: Implementing masterplans Creating practical visions for urban and economic development in the Gulf Cooperation Council Management summary G ulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries are undergoing an unprecedented wave of urban transformation, driven by the urgent need to diversify their economies beyond oil. National strategies - such as Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030, Kuwait's Vision 2035 and Oman's Vision 2040 - place spatial planning at the heart of economic and societal change. ...

Oil-rich Guyana is spending so heavily and quickly on diversifying its economy that it’s on the cusp of becoming a “Norway on steroids,” according President Irfaan Ali https://t.co/Uy3vh0CVEj ...

Core Insights - Saudi Aramco has achieved its 70% local content target under the In-Kingdom Total Value Add (iktva) program and aims to increase it to 75% by 2030 [1][2] - The iktva program has contributed over $280 billion to Saudi Arabia's GDP and created more than 200,000 jobs [1][8] - The program has identified over 200 localization opportunities across 12 sectors, representing an annual market opportunity of $28 billion [4] Local Procurement and Supply Chain Strategy - 70% of Aramco's goods and services procurement is now sourced locally, a key aspect of its supply chain transformation strategy [2] - The company plans to increase local procurement to 75% by the end of the decade [2] - Localizing production and services has enhanced supply chain resilience, reducing exposure to global logistics disruptions and input cost volatility [5] Economic Diversification and Industrial Policy - The iktva program is a core pillar of Aramco's strategy to build a competitive domestic industrial ecosystem, aligning with Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 economic diversification agenda [3][6] - The program has attracted $9 billion in inward investment and catalyzed over 350 investments from 35 countries [8] - Local manufacturing has enabled 47 strategic products to be produced domestically for the first time [8] Strategic Implications - Supply chain localization enhances project execution certainty amid global energy market challenges, such as tighter equipment availability and rising fabrication costs [7]

Well, Your Excellency, it's a real pleasure to be talking to you here today in such a beautiful landscape and a lot of really wonderful to be here. And of course, the ALALA conference is a conference for emerging market economies. So maybe that's a good place to start.In your opening remarks, you were talking about the fact that emerging market economies now account for 56% of the world economy, almost 60%, and its share has doubled since 2000. And yet with all of that, we should not be complacent because t ...

Core Insights - JBS is establishing a joint venture in Oman with Oman Food Capital to enhance its manufacturing presence in the Middle East [1][2] - The venture will consolidate two production assets in Oman, focusing on poultry and meat processing [2][3] Group 1: Investment Details - JBS will invest $150 million in equity for an 80% stake in the joint venture, while Oman Food Capital will hold the remaining 20% [2] - The investment will primarily support the completion of A'Namaa's poultry plant and Al Bashayer's beef and lamb processing facility [3] Group 2: Production Capacity and Goals - The venture aims for a static industrial production capacity of approximately 300,000 tonnes per year, translating to daily processing of about 1,000 cattle, 5,000 lambs, and 600,000 chickens [4] - Production at the beef and lamb facility is expected to commence within six months, while the poultry site is set to start operations within a year [5] Group 3: Strategic Objectives - The initiative aligns with Oman's Vision 2040 program, which aims to diversify the economy and ensure food security for the population [3] - The venture will position Oman as a center for halal product production suitable for export to various markets [4]

[music] [music] My story begins in November 2022. I was wearing my Made in Potacot uh t-shirt and I was traveling to India for a meeting. Now this this trip coincided with the World Cup, the FIFA World Cup in Qatar.uh and we had a layover at the Hamad International Airport in Doha. Now, prior to this time, I've heard so much about Qatar, right. But the things I saw at the airport left me quite baffled.They had a driverless tram that took people from one terminal to the other. They had a tropical garden in t ...

My story begins in November 2022. I was wearing my made in Portakot uh t-shirt and I was traveling to India for a meeting. Now this this trip coincided with the World Cup, the FIFA World Cup in Qatar.uh and we had a layover at the Hamad International Airport in Doha. Now, prior to this time, I've heard so much about Qatar, right. But the things I saw at the airport left me quite baffled.They had a driverless tram that took people from one terminal to the other. They had a tropical garden in the airport that ...

Core Viewpoint - State Street Corporation has signed a support agreement with the Abu Dhabi Investment Office to establish a new operating center in Al Ain, marking a significant step in its long-term expansion strategy in the Middle East and UAE [1][3] Group 1: Expansion and Job Creation - The new operating hub will create over 300 financial services roles in the next four years, providing career pathways for local Emirati talent [2] - State Street will collaborate with local universities to create career and internship opportunities for graduates, aligning with Abu Dhabi's goal of building a knowledge-based workforce [2][4] Group 2: Strategic Importance - Abu Dhabi, including Al Ain, is a strategic priority for State Street, which aims to support the emirate's development as a global financial hub [3] - The collaboration is part of ADIO's FinTech, Insurance, Digital and Alternative Assets cluster, projected to contribute an additional AED56 billion to Abu Dhabi's GDP by 2045 [3] Group 3: Commitment to Local Development - The initiative supports Abu Dhabi's economic development agenda and aims to create high-quality employment opportunities for UAE nationals [4][5] - State Street's presence in Abu Dhabi since 2018 has been focused on serving institutional clients and contributing to the local financial services landscape [6] Group 4: Future Plans - State Street intends to upgrade its ADGM license to strengthen local market infrastructure and expand global access, positioning ADGM as a premier international financial center [8]

Group 1 - Saudi Arabia is expected to see a decrease in international bond sales in 2026, marking a halt to three years of rapid growth in borrowing activities [1] - The Ministry of Finance has approved borrowing plans for 2026 that involve selling approximately $14 billion to $17 billion in international bond markets, which is lower than the high end of 2025 and the lowest since 2022 [2] - Total financing needs for the kingdom are projected to drop to $58 billion from $107 billion last year, with the fiscal shortfall expected to contract to 3.3% of GDP [3] Group 2 - The government has a history of overshooting its economic goals, with predictions from Goldman Sachs indicating a record $25 billion of international debt issuance this year [4] - Saudi Arabia plans to continue borrowing to address a fiscal gap caused by lower oil revenues and high spending on the $2 trillion economic diversification agenda [5] - For 2026, the focus will be on dollar-denominated debt in international markets, with a significant portion of financing expected to come from private markets [6][7]

Group 1: Energy and Mining Developments - Algeria's energy and mining sectors are making significant progress under the new Oil and Gas Law (Law 19-13) and the new Mining Law, with international bidding "Algeria Bid Round 2024" leading to the awarding of five oil and gas exploration and production licenses to companies like TotalEnergies, Eni, and Sinopec, indicating a resurgence in foreign investment participation [1] - The Gara Djebilet iron ore project in Tindouf province has entered the industrialization phase, with an estimated reserve of approximately 3.5 billion tons, and a primary processing production line with an annual capacity of 4 million tons is expected to commence operations in April 2026, supported by the Béchar-Tindouf railway set to be operational in January 2026 [1] - The Bled El Hedba integrated phosphate project in Tebessa province is progressing, with a planned annual production capacity of around 6 million tons of fertilizer products, and the associated railway infrastructure is expected to facilitate the transport of over 10 million tons of phosphate rock annually, generating an estimated annual revenue of $2 billion [1] Group 2: Non-Ferrous Metals and Renewable Energy - The Oued Amizour lead-zinc project in Bejaia province has an estimated recoverable reserve of about 34 million tons, with a planned annual production of 170,000 tons of zinc concentrate, projected to generate annual revenue of approximately $215 million [2] - Algeria is advancing a renewable energy plan to add 15,000 megawatts by 2035, with the first phase of 3,200 megawatts of solar projects progressing well, alongside the implementation of the SoutH2 hydrogen corridor and the Medlink Algeria-Italy electricity interconnection project, aimed at expanding green energy export capacity to Europe [2]