After nearly all of Gulf’s stock markets were made accessible to foreign direct investment, most of them were upgraded to ‘emerging market’ status, which in turn helped them attract sizeable investments. Some of them have since moved to address another important issue to attract further foreign capital, advanced technology and high-end technical expertise.
This year, both the UAE and Saudi Arabia have taken steps towards providing a stable environment for foreign investors through long-term or privilege residency schemes, which allows investors and their family members to enjoy a secured stay within the limits set out by the schemes.
The two systems have focused not only on attracting capital, but also place a premium on skills needed by modern economies.
