Very few countries can lay claim to a GDP not far off $800 billion, a logistical portfolio that contains some of the world’s busiest waterways and ports, natural resources as diverse as oil and gas, a huge array of minerals and stones such as marble and limestone.
Three countries in the Middle East, the UAE, Egypt and Jordan, came together as part of a new industrial strategy to pool such assets and create one of the most profitable multilateral frameworks to come out of the region in recent years, further integrating some of the most important alliances in the Middle East.
Egypt in particular has a historic farming tradition, which has sustained its economy for millennia. Now, new investment can help keep the country a farming power of the region. Egypt also has some of the region’s best universities, particularly when it comes to medicine and engineering.
Jordan has a young and increasingly resilient and competitive economy to contribute. Below ground, Jordan has a huge array of minerals, including phosphates, gypsum (a fertiliser), copper and stones such as marble and limestone. With such a young population, the IT sector has great potential, too, accounting for more than 80,000 jobs and 12 per cent of GDP.
For the UAE’s part, all these pieces of the puzzle and many more can come together in the region’s, and indeed one of the world’s, most diverse, competitive and tolerant societies. The logistical and supply chain contribution of the Emirates is vast, with key ports and airports offering quick access to much of the world.
Source: www.thenationalnews.com
