The GCC is comprised of six powerful countries in the area of business expertise—the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Oman. World Bank has made an official statement about the economies of GCC, and its capability to expand by a splendid 5.9% total this year. The recuperation of this chart is set to prevail in the medium-term, driven in by leading sectors; namely, the hydrocarbon and non-hydrocarbon sectors. Meanwhile, the authorities also narrow down the margin of economic growth for the UAE to a promising 4.7%, stemming from its appreciation of the oil and non-oil sectors.
A few more resourceful beginnings await the economy of the country with the booming tourist attractions, lofty domestic capital expenses, secure oil output with the addition of Opec+ production slashes, and the ever-growing industry in non-petroleum sectors that is aided by the civilians who consume their goods much better than anticipated.
All these factors point to the development which is forecasted to hasten to 7.0% in Saudi Arabia for this year.
Although UAE is set for such an uplift in its economy, growth in private consumption is still only a little blighted, at just 4.8%, rooted in the probability of fluidity of World Cup earnings and inflated prices. That aside, the real GDP estimate for 2022 is a promising 4.9% in tow of raised hydrocarbon international trade in Qatar.
Oman on the other hand is doing handsomely in its potential for profits this year. It would reach 5.6%, tied under by a larger portion than 8.0% advancement in the hydrocarbon sector. The non-feul economy has a gradual growth in its own time, courtesy of the easing pandemic restrictions and the quicker vaccination routine contributing largely to the domestic activity.
Bahrain is dependent on its surging energy prices, which might lead to an outcome of 3.5% before December.
The Opec+ production cuts are an interesting decision, as Kuwait has forecasted its rise to a 5.7%—the increased oil output and the overall progress post-pandemic have brought the welcome change of domestic demands to build up.
After all the Go Green initiatives, the World Bank still manages to keep its spirits up and try for a change. There are pledges promising the achievement of shielding against climate change, or so it’s claimed by the six empire-like GCC economics as they are determined to build back their countries to the condition it was pre-pandemic. Their recovery started in 2021 and continues unfailingly to the first half of this year.
The Khaleej Times walks us through the recent developments. The ricochet from a massively triumphant vaccination implementation, the softening of the pandemic regulations, and the enlargement of the hydrocarbon market. The endgame of all these recoveries birthed remarkably enhanced fiscal deficits, which in turn supported the balance of GCC’s external factors scoring pre-pandemic levels in 2021 as international trade earning and energy rates heightened.
Moreover, the aftermath of the Ukraine war left adverse changes in the energy market but this could be a loophole for the GCC countries that are well-formed hydrocarbon exporters—who may profit from the robust fiscal and plethora of external profit, which in the grand scheme of things will act as a booster for consumer or investor benefits.
Despite having an incredibly successful market in the hydrocarbon sector, the GCC countries are also trying to reduce their dependency on it; creating a low-carbon economic environment is a goal, alongside the need to reform energy and water subsidies and to remark an official statement about GCC’s commitment to the net-zero ideals that remain bold on their pledges, agenda, and strategies. Although this initiative may be a downfall in their oil revenues which might reduce drastically in the upcoming decades.
Nonetheless, they admirably prioritize the Go Green agenda over their innate need to be successful economies in terms of the oil sector. The Gulf Economic Update discoursed the ideals of restructuring energy subsidies and chances for GCC countries to equip the armour of powerhouses harbouring renewable energies—to convert them to green and less toxic technologies will help them make this world-scale idea a reality in a sequence that will revolve around the centre point of green environment in their region-specific goals.
