Middle East

Dr. Meshaal Jaber Al Ahmad Al-Sabah, Chief of the Kuwait Foreign Investment Bureau (KFIB), tells World Report about the country’s plans to expedite investments and business partnerships, and the bureau’s strong focus on UK-Kuwaiti ties

Dr Mohammad Y Al-Hashel, Governor of the Central Bank of Kuwait, speaks with World Report about the strength of Kuwait’s financial sector and economy, as well as the long-standing, healthy relations between the UK and his country

Dr. Bernd van Linder, the Managing Director of Saudi Hollandi Bank, the first banking franchise in Saudi Arabia, discusses growth prospects for the banking sector and projects the bank is engaged in at the moment.

The United States and Kuwait have maintained close business, diplomatic and education links over the years

Established in 1960, Gulf Bank of Kuwait has certainly seen its share of ups and downs in the past five years, yet has remained true to its focus on local and retail commercial banking

The Kuwait Stock Exchange has improved surveillance systems and the latest technology by NASDAQ OMX, and has been streamlined thanks to strict requirements by the Capital Markets Authority. Now, KSE is ready to go public

In 2000, First Takaful Insurance Company was established as the first of its kind in Kuwait. Market penetration remains low for the insurance sector in general, but First Takaful is raising the bar for quality and service

Vast amounts of petrodollar earnings and the push for economic diversification have fueled a recent surge in the kingdom’s economic activity and add weight to forecasts for its economy to more than triple to $3 trillion by 2050

In February 2010, Kuwaiti lawmakers and the administration put aside their differences long enough to agree that the country was in sore need of an extreme infrastructure makeover

A small building in the Rawda area of Kuwait brings hope to parents of children with autism. At the Kuwait Center for Autism, 100 children receive special care and assistance to develop their potential, and to help them to understand the world in which we live

According to the World Health Organization, 347 million people worldwide have diabetes. In the Gulf area, the incidence of this chronic disease is high and growing

Water is an issue on everyone’s lips, and Saudi Arabia has particular challenges in providing sufficient supply for domestic and industrial markets. Soroof Aqua Solutions offers some innovative and forward-thinking solutions

Flagship new developments and major upgrades of existing infrastructure are gaining ground

Working in partnership with some of the world’s most prestigious developers and investors, four new cities will be the region’s locations of choice for local and foreign businesses

Kurdistan's outstanding economic growth has been driven principally by oil revenues, a secure investment environment and a construction boom

The Ranj Group has become one of the largest companies in Iraq, and is involved in some exciting developments in Kurdistan

The most forward looking state in the region, Kuwait is stepping up its efforts to diversify its economy, with a strong emphasis on education

Eagle Vision Media Group is a multimedia company that encourages and backs local talent, of which there is no shortage in Kuwait

Self proclaimed as the original melting pot for the limitless imagination and creativity of the Kuwaiti entrepreneur, hundreds of Kuwaitis rejoiced at the grand opening of 52 Degrees on January 26, 2011

Saudi Arabia is one of the world’s top 20 economies, the largest in the MENA region, and the most influential of the Arabian Peninsular states.

One of the kingdom’s oldest trading companies, Binzagr partners with major Western manufacturers to import, and in some cases locally produce, popular foods and consumer goods

One of the country’s oldest companies has been fundamental to the development of Saudi’s automobile market and has long been a keen advocate of its infrastructure enhancement

Saudi Arabian Airlines (Saudia) is flying high, making astute decisions and adopting the right strategies to become a world leader in the industry. It is also focusing on how to enhance customer satisfaction by introducing various attractive services

Technical upgrades and fleet modernization helped Saudi Arabian Airlines become one of the 19 members of SkyTeam, a leading alliance in the international airline industry

The government has targeted education as a key sector in bringing Kuwait back to its former glory as the region’s “shining star” of social and economic development

The American School of Kuwait in Hawalli is a special center of learning

Of Kuwait’s nine colleges and universities, Kuwait University (KU) is the country’s oldest, largest and sole public institution of higher learning

Privately-owned Universal American School follows the U.S. curriculum from nursery all the way through high school, with a wide array of extracurricular activities

Australian College of Kuwait (ACK) offers industry-relevant, competency-based training in a unique 2+2 degree program based on the Australian vocational curriculum

The American International School of Kuwait (AIS) is an International Baccalaureate authorized school that is preparing future global citizens

The KRG provides thousands of Kurd students with scholarships to pursue advanced degrees abroad, while at the same time working to improve the quality of higher education at home

Dr Loqman Dosky, President of the University of Duhok (UoD), says that as a result of its history, Kurdistan Region today is a staunch supporter of international ties, and this is what has allowed the region's economy to register a 12 per cent growth per year

The longstanding and incredibly close relations between Kuwait and the UK represent a genuine two-way street of social, cultural and economic exchange, understanding and respect. Frank Baker, the UK Ambassador to Kuwait, tells World Report that these ties are becoming even stronger and he urges UK-based businesses to take a moment to realise what Kuwait has to offer them as “there is a growing recognition that what you get with British companies is the best in the world and long-term solutions”.

Kuwaitis frequently boast that their country leads the region in democratic credentials and at first glance, at least, they are right

With oil as its main economic lubricant, Kuwait focuses on maintaining good partner relations and safety and environmental standards

Plans by the planet’s number one oil producer to aim for a 100% switch from fossil fuels to clean energy sources may come as a surprise

Velosi has emerged as the preferred supplier of management services in Qatar’s energy sector

Raising production of oil to 1 million barrels per day is a target Oman is striving to achieve

Thinking outside the box led this exploration and production firm to important discoveries

A business enterprise which prides itself on expansion and networking is starting to reach its maximum potential within the industry

Production on the Daleel oil field (discovered by a Japanese firm in 1989) increased substantially once Daleel Petroleum LLC took over in 2002

Gong Changli, CEO of Daleel Petroleum, speaks with United World about the joint venture’s incursion into the Omani oil and gas sector

The state-of-the-art telecommunications network being set up in Kurdistan by Newroz Telecom is enabling creative, responsive ICT services and solutions by deploying more reliable, far-reaching infrastructure and leveraging the latest technological developments

Oman's Information Technology Authority is working to bridge the digital divide within the country

Working with the government, the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority's top priorities lie in broadband penetration and market competition

With a successful track record spanning more than 40 years, the pioneering telecommunications supplier has been named number one six years in a row

Dr. Amer Awadh Al Rawas, CEO of Omantel, discusses the Oman telecoms sector, and his strategies for maintaining and improving his company’s position

Iraqi mobile operator Korek Telecom has joined forces with some of the biggest names in the industry and is keen to capitalize on 3G connectivity

Korek Telecom is the fastest growing mobile network operator in Iraq, and its service covers the whole country. It has a market share of more than 70% in Kurdistan and a countrywide market share of 13-14%

Not long after the turn of the millennium, the studio lights came on, the screens glowed and somebody said "action", as the first home-spun TV channel in Kurdistan went live. And this was no mean feat, as the country had just escaped from the locked-solid grip of dictatorship

The agriculture and fishing sectors make up a significant portion of the country's exports, while employing nearly a tenth of the population

Oman Fisheries Company is one of the largest private companies in Oman, heavily exporting to Europe and Asia and looking to expand further to the US

Oman has banned trawling and returned to old-fashioned fishing methods. Mr. Said Al Rawahi, General Manager of the Oman Fisheries Company, describes how this move will ensure the sustainability of vital resources, and help make the ‘Made in Oman’ brand synonymous with quality

United World talks to Dr. Fuad bin Jafar bin Al Sajwani, Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries, about the future of the fishing business in Oman

After oil, fish is the number one earner of foreign currency in Oman. H.E. Dr. Hamed Said Al-Oufi, Undersecretary for Fisheries at the Ministry of Agriculture & Fisheries, discusses the importance of this ancient business to modern-day Oman

Voted Kuwait’s Best Business Hotel, Crowne Plaza Kuwait is home to the country’s largest ballroom, its first Aquatonic pool, and a raft of different dining possibilities. Now, the hotel is further enlarging its conference facilities and nearly tripling the number of guestrooms and suites

A massive tourism expansion is on the horizon as a new emphasis on developing Saudi Arabia’s tourism sector beyond its well established religious offerings is encouraging visitors to take advantage of new airports and hospitality infrastructure to discover a fascinating kingdom

Five times every day, 1 billion Muslims worldwide turn toward Makkah to pray, and all Muslims, who are able, are obliged to perform the Hajj, a pilgrimage to carry out a set of rituals that take place in and around Makkah every year, at least once in their lives. Therefore, each year Islam’s holiest city is host to millions of pilgrims, or Hajjis, from around the world

Shaking the dust from its shoulders, Erbil is now hailed as a prime destination for both business and pleasure

In 2012, high-end hotel company Starwood Hotels and Resorts decided to return to Iraq after a nearly 20-year absence due to the Gulf War - and they chose Ranj Company as their local partner

Forecast to be the fastest growing tourist destination in the Middle East, Qatar is investing heavily in new tourism infrastructure

Qatar strives to develop the nation’s potential whilst maintaining culture at the nation’s core, thereby blending modernity with traditions