Five GCC economic themes to watch in 2024
Global economic growth in 2023 was slower than expected, marked by high interest rates and inflation, as well as a flare-up in geopolitical tensions, nevertheless, growth in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries remained resilient. The 2.8% contraction in oil sector activities in 2023, resulting from the successive oil production cuts by OPEC+, was largely offset by expansion in the non-oil sector, which is estimated to have grown by 4.3% in 2023, buoyed by government investments linked to the various economic diversification agenda taking place across the GCC. This means that overall 2023 GDP growth in the GCC is estimated to be 1.5%, following annual growth of 7.9% in 2022.